Z Same Time, Next Year Complete
by Fanatical Writer
Summary: At a conference in Boston, Derek Morgan meets Penelope Garcia-and sparks fly. Their night turns into one of intense passion that neither can forget. So when they meet again the next year, at the same conference, they can't stay away from each other.
1. Chapter 1

_Four Years Ago…_

Derek yawned as he strolled into the hotel lobby. The lecture had been long but informative. And the best part? The blonde temptress standing at the front of the room with plenty of cleavage and an ass that just wouldn't quit. Yep, the white button up that she'd worn (not buttoned up quite as much as one might think) had given him quite the view. She'd been wearing a camel colored skirt that fell below her knees. It hadn't shown much leg, and it might have been just that reason that it was so damn appealing. Mini skirts weren't Derek Morgan's thing. He liked clothes that were sexy without being too revealing. If he was going to open the package, he wanted there to be some mystery underneath.

She'd been talking almost non-stop for two days, educating everyone on the latest technology making its way to the F.B.I. She hadn't been hard to listen to—she'd kept it interesting, and with her sense of humor, at times it had even been fun.

Derek loosened his tie as he made his way onto the elevator and headed up to his room. It was nice to see Boston again, but he was anxious to get back to Chicago. There were mounds of paperwork on his desk, and he desperately needed to get caught up on it.

The first thing he did when he reached his room was grab the menu. He was more famished after sitting down all day just listening than he was when he spent the day in the field.

But then the scent of cigarette smoke assaulted his senses and he frowned. It was the only room available when he'd booked and he'd had no choice but to take it. But luckily, he _did_ have a choice on where he would eat.

___

Penelope spritzed a little hairspray on her hair and then gave it a tousle. Sure, she was eating alone, but a girl still liked to look good, even if it was only for herself. She reached onto the counter of the vanity in her hotel bathroom and grabbed her lip gloss, deciding she might as well freshen that as well. She leaned in closer to put her lip gloss on and that was when she noticed her shirt. She blushed furiously—even though she was alone—and proceeded to curse. When in the _hell_ had her third button come undone? Had she spent the _entire_ day flashing a conference room full of F.B.I. agents? She groaned as she dropped her lip gloss in the sink and hastily fixed her third button. She almost buttoned the second one, too, as some sort of recompense, but _that_ would just look silly. She rolled her eyes—this was _such_ a Penelope moment—and then snagged her lip gloss and finished primping.

She walked back into the main part of her room and traded her pumps—they were practical when you were going to be on your feet all day—for her camel colored high heels. They matched her skirt perfectly. But the thing she liked most about them was that they made her feel incredibly sexy. She picked her bag up off the stand near her door and made her way to the dining room.

___

The dining room was dimly lit. Each table had a small flaming candle in the center that seemed to give off more light that it should. Penelope was perusing the menu when she caught someone out of the corner of her eye. She looked up and it was _him._ The man who had been right in the middle section of the conference room—three rows back if she wasn't mistaken. It was probably in her mind, but she would swear she'd felt his stare on her more than once during her presentation. And it had _definitely_ been more than an 'I'm interested in what you have to say' stare. "Can I help you?" she asked in a friendly voice. He could certainly help _her_. By taking off that damn shirt and flexing his arms. She forced herself not to blush at the thought.

"I was at your lecture today," he told her.

"Yeah, I know," she said with a smile. "Middle section, near the front."

He grinned. "You noticed me."

She laughed. "You're hard to miss," she informed him (as if he didn't know). "And _my _money says…just as hard to forget."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Eating alone?" he asked.

She nodded.

He put a hand on the chair that was across from her. "Do you mind?"

She tilted her head to the side. "Not at all."

He pulled the chair out and sat down, resting his forearms on the table and lacing his fingers together. "So you're from the D.C. office?"

She nodded. "And you?"

"Chicago," he told her as the waiter appeared.

"Can I get you a menu?" he asked.

Derek looked at Penelope. "Do you know what you're having?" he asked.

She nodded and he looked at the waiter. "Whatever she's having is fine," he told the man, and then returned his eyes to Penelope. "Share a bottle of wine?" he asked.

"Sure," she agreed.

Derek ordered a bottle of wine, Penelope proceeded to order their meals, and then the waiter left.

"I'm Derek Morgan," he told her.

She grinned. "Penelope Garcia," she said, introducing herself.

For some reason, they forsook the shaking of hands. They made small talk and after a few minutes, the waiter came back with their bottle of wine and two glasses and poured them each their first drink. Derek took a small swallow of wine. Penelope was looking at the couple who had just walked into the dining area and he took the opportunity to study her. She'd done up one of the buttons on her shirt. _Pity,_ he thought. As her hand lowered the wine glass to the table his eyes fell to her lips. They were practically glowing in the candle light, almost as if they were beckoning him. He wondered what she'd do if he dove across the table. He almost grinned at the thought. Sweet Lord, he really needed to get laid.

"So, what's you're area of expertise, Agent Morgan?" she asked.

He grinned. "Derek," he corrected. "Right now I work in the Criminal Investigative Division," he told her, then expanded on what it was he did for the F.B.I.

Penelope listened intently. This mans voice was sure to capture _any_ woman's attention and right now, he had _hers_. After talking about his job, he went on to tell her a little bit about his family and the engagement that had ended nearly a year ago due to the long hours he put in at work.

They broke conversation for a short while when their meal was delivered, but sitting across the table from one another, they had little interest in eating. They'd barely touched their meals when Penelope decided she was going to sleep with him. And now that she'd decided it…well, her spaghetti and meatballs held zero appeal. She was moving her glass in slow circles, the red liquid sloshing back and forth in the glass, when she tilted her head to the side. "So I'm thinking we should just head up to my room," she said, then lifted the glass to her lips and took a small swallow.

He sat back in his chair for minute—one hand on his knee, the other resting on the table—and studied her face. His eyes were glowing in the candlelight, and Penelope had the sudden revelation that the key to this man was hidden in their dark depths.

"We'll probably never see each other again," he reminded her.

She laughed softly. "I _loathe _missed opportunities," she confided.

He tossed his napkin down beside his plate, pulled some bills out of his wallet and threw them on the table. And then reached for her hand. They walked to the elevator in silence, and then stepped inside. "What floor?" he asked.

"Five," she answered quietly. They were both facing the elevator doors, when Derek took a sideways glance at her, then looked away. When he looked again, her eyes were on him. The next thing he knew, they were a tangle of arms and legs in the elevator. His mouth was hot on her neck, her fingers digging into his shoulders while she groaned loudly. He reached for the waist of her skirt and tugged her shirt upwards, his hand resting on her ribcage. His fingers squeezed lightly and she whimpered.

Derek forced her backwards until she was against the wall of the elevator. He was reaching for the clasp on the front of her bra when the elevator dinged. "Fuck," he said breathlessly. "Why couldn't you have been on a higher floor?"

She giggled at his statement—and reveled in his obvious desire for her.

The doors slid open and thankfully, no one was standing there. Penelope couldn't imagine how unkempt she must look with half of her shirt untucked. Her hair probably wasn't in very good shape either. Not that she cared how she looked at this exact moment, but she certainly didn't want anyone to know what they'd just been doing in the elevator.

When they reached her hotel room door, she pulled the keycard out of her bag. But her hands were shaking and she couldn't manage to get it in the lock. Derek put a hand over hers to steady it, then proceeded to guide it to the lock. The door opened and they practically flew inside, Derek slamming the door with such force she was amazed it didn't fall off its hinges.

Her purse had barely dropped to the floor when he reached her again. He picked up where he'd left off, his hands reaching for the clasp of her bra underneath her shirt. He got it with amazing speed and he pushed her shirt up to her neck, his mouth descending to her chest. His tongue was soft and hot as he tasted the flesh surrounding her nipple. One of his hands lifted to her other breast and he began to run the pad of his thumb back and forth over its peak, his touch soft at first, then more forceful. Her body went limp beneath his touch and his other arm shot out to catch her by the waist, holding her up while the rest of him concentrated on her breasts.

She didn't know what to do with her arms—unfortunately she was in no state of mind to return the attention he was paying her at this moment—so she lifted them to the back of his head, as if to keep him there. But much to her pleasure, he wasn't going anywhere just yet.

He finally lifted his head to look at her--her head thrown back, her lashes resting on her cheeks. Her chest was rising and falling quickly, her breathing ragged. Derek grinned as he realized he hadn't even taken the time to remove her shirt. _That _hadn't been very nice of him. He'd take care of that right now. After it was gone, he reached for the zipper on the back of her skirt. She lifted a leg to kick off one of her heels, but he grabbed her behind the knee, holding her still. He shook his head fervently. "Uh-uh," he said with a growl. "Leave them on."

_Present Day…_

Penelope grinned at the recollection as she snapped her suitcase shut. _That_ had certainly been a weekend to remember. He wasn't her first one night stand—although the number wasn't high—but he'd certainly been her most unforgettable. She'd have given anything to have another night with Derek Morgan.

And she'd gotten her chance the next year. She was sure when she saw him that he wouldn't possibly be as good as she remembered—that she'd somehow built him up in her mind. But she'd been wrong. Oh, how she'd been wrong. She shivered at the thought.

This would be their fourth year of scorching, passionate sex together—_if_ he was there. And Penelope could hardly wait.


	2. Chapter 2

Penelope looked at the clock on the conference room wall. There were only five minutes left until the lecture and demonstration would begin and she hadn't seen any sign of Derek. She tried not to be disappointed—it wasn't like he'd broken a date. This had been a hit or miss situation from the start. Luckily--they'd all been hits up until now. She tried to push him out of her mind to focus on the first segement of her speech.

She opened the program she was going to need and looked for the remote that would allow her to flip through the screens without standing right in front of her laptop the entire time. But she couldn't find it. And then she remembered that she'd put it in her coat pocket on the way out of her office in D.C. She'd left her coat on a rack in the lobby and after another look at the time, she decided she had enough time to go and get it.

She walked back into the room and closed the door behind herself, then went to stand beside the utility table at the front of the room. "Good morning," she said, her eyes sweeping the room. "My name is Penelope Garcia and I'll be—" And that was when she saw him.

He lifted an eyebrow at her as he took a sip out of his coffee cup. He put the cup down on the table in front of him, and then gave her a body a slow perusal—he looked her up and down. And then up again. His eyes came to rest on her breasts for a few seconds before lifting to her face.

She swallowed past the sudden lump of desire in her throat and hoped he liked what he was seeing. She'd picked up a new dress the week before the trip. It was red with white polka dots and it stopped just above her knees. She told herself that it wasn't for Derek, but she knew she was lying.

She cleared her throat as she forged ahead. "…introducing some new technology that will be implemented throughout the bureau over the next year."

___

Penelope grabbed her purse and headed to the bathroom. They'd broken for an hour lunch a little while ago, and she'd eaten with some of the other presenters. She excused herself and headed for the bathroom with her purse. She wanted to freshen up before the afternoon session. She had her lipstick in hand and was leaning towards the mirror when the door behind her swung open, then closed. She spun around when she heard it lock.

"Damn, woman, you talk a lot," Derek said with a grin.

She laughed. "I'm sorry," she said teasingly.

"Don't be," he said. "Gives me a reason to concentrate on your lips."

She didn't say anything; _she_ was concentrating on her breathing. When he was around, her heart rate seemed to increase, making it harder to get air. She closed her lipstick and dropped it back into her purse, then lifted her eyes to his.

They both surged forward at the same time, their bodies colliding after being apart for far too long. Derek's mouth came down onto hers—her mouth already open and ready for him. His hands came up to her cheeks; her hands came up to rest on his. Her fingers wrapped around his hands, clutching them as if she would never let him go.

But then she did. She reached for the button on his pants and ripped her mouth away from his. "Right here," she whispered breathlessly. "Right here, right here, right here."

Derek laughed as he pushed her hands away. "I'm not _taking_ you in a public bathroom," he told her.

She sagged against the wall. "What if I beg?"

"It'll sure as all make me hard, but I'm not banging you in a public bathroom. You're too good for that," he informed her.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her until their foreheads were touching. "I'm _not_ too good for it. I promise," she said, trying to persuade him.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Compromise?" he asked.

She moaned softly. "What did you have in mind?"

He reached up under her dress, and his hands found her hips, moving in slow circles on her flesh until he moved them around so he was cupping her bottom. He felt his mouth go dry. "Penelope?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are your panties?" he asked in a whisper.

She grinned. "Dammitt. I _knew_ I forgot something," she teased.

"How in the _fuck _am I supposed to sit through the rest of this knowing you're not wearing panties…" His hands found the tops of her stockings. "But you _are_ wearing a pair of damn…" He took a deep breath. "Thigh highs?" he finally finished. But his voice was a bit higher than usual.

She tilted her head back and laughed softly, then brought her chin down so she was facing him again. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's gonna be…hard," she teased with a smirk.

He reached for her wrist and guided her hand to his zipper. She could feel the arousal beneath his dress pants. He was rock solid. "You're damn right it is," he growled. He lifted her arm so it was circling his neck again and then reached for the hem of her dress—he was going to finish what he'd planned to start—panties or no.

"Lift your leg as high as you can," he told her. She complied, and he bent at the knees, maneuvering her leg so her foot rested on his thigh. He reached between her legs and instantly found what he was looking for. He remembered every inch of her body—over the last three years, he'd mastered it. He grinned when her breath caught in her throat and then he began to move his thumb back and forth over her blazing center. Her hands fell to his shoulders and she was gripping them, as if they were the only thing holding her up. While still working the thumb of one hand, he reached for her with the other and slid two fingers inside of her opening. She was wet and oh so hot.

"Oh my _God_," she cried. "Derek…"

"Ssshhh. Someone might be waiting outside," he warned with a chuckle.

_That _was the wrong thing to say. She tried to push him away, but he wouldn't budge. "Not until I'm done," he said firmly.

"But…" He'd sent her into a panic.

"You're gonna finish," he told her. "If I have to sit through the rest of this damn thing with a hard-on, you're gonna have to stand up there in front of everyone knowing what we just did."

She didn't say another word, but he felt her body relax again—apparently she knew he wasn't kidding. He increased the tempo with his thumb while he kept his fingers moving at an easy pace. But when he felt her body stiffen with desire, he started plunging them in and out of her with increasing momentum. She slowly started to move her hips, then quickened until she found a pace that worked for her, riding his fingers as if they were the only way to get where she wanted to go. And in this moment, they were.

She looked down at him, and his eyes locked with hers. The sight of him beneath her, his eyes so dark with lust—his hands commanding her body—caused her to start trembling immediately. She began to tilt her head back, but he wouldn't have it. "Don't look away from me," he demanded. Her eyes found his once again, and she bit down on her lower lip, trying to make it last. "Don't hold back, baby girl. I promise—we'll do this again."

And that was all she needed to hear. She cried out his name and her body shuddered one last time before she slumped back against the wall. Had Derek not stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist, she would have slid down the wall and landed in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Penelope was struggling for breath. "I don't think I've ever…I've never…it's _never_ been like that," she said contentedly.

Derek laughed as he smoothed her hair away from her face and kissed each of her closed eyelids. "You say that every time," he said softly.

She laughed as she opened her eyes again. "I _mean_ it every time," she told him.

"Well," he said teasingly. "That makes me sound _very_ good."

"No arguments from me," she said, tilting her head up for a kiss.

___

Derek made his way back into the conference room and took his seat next to one of the agents from the Boston office. They'd struck up conversation earlier that morning during a break.

"Dude," Sam said as he sat down. "Nice lipstick."

Derek grinned. "Thanks."


	3. Chapter 3

_This story is quite naughty—it won't be like this every single chapter, but I think this kind of solidifies how their relationship has been from the beginning. Enjoy!_

Penelope walked out of the building, tying the belt on her coat around her waist. The first day was over. They'd finish up tomorrow, and a taxi would take her straight from the Boston office to Logan airport, where she'd head back to D.C. But not before an amazing night with Derek Morgan. When she looked up, she saw him standing there, leaning against his sleek black rental car with a smile on his face. "Ready?" he asked.

_For pretty much anything, _she thought impatiently. But instead of saying _that_, she tilted her head to the side and offered a single nod.

His smile widened as he opened the passenger side door for her. All she really wanted was to be in bed with him again. But he always took her out before they went back to her hotel room—it was as if he'd made a tradition of their first encounter; as if he were romancing her before taking her to bed. He needn't do so. She'd have taken him anyway. But she liked the fact that he though enough of her to do it.

After she was in, he closed her door and walked around to his side of the vehicle and got in, starting the engine. She cleared her throat before speaking. "Where are we going?" she asked softly.

He turned to her with his ever-present grin and reached for one of her hands. "Dinner," he told her.

She looked at the clock on the dash—it was almost six o'clock. She supposed she should be hungry, but there were other things on her mind.

They made small talk on the way to the restaurant—he'd gotten a dog over the last year—Clooney—and she'd bought a Wii Fit. Nothing too exciting on either end. It was dark by the time they got to the restaurant, and Penelope grinned when they pulled into the parking lot. "There." She pointed to a vacant spot in the upper corner of the lot—there was no street light and since it was quite a trek to the restaurant, there were no cars.

Derek frowned. "There?" he asked in confusion.

Penelope nodded and Derek did as she'd told him to. When he put the car in park, she turned to him. "Put your seat back," she told him, taking her coat off.

"Excuse me?" he asked in confusion.

She grinned. "Put. Your seat. Back," she repeated.

He lifted his eyebrows and complied. She moved her own seat back and then got up on her knees, hunched over due to the close quarters. When she reached for the button on his pants, he lifted his arms up, linking his hands together behind his head. She could barely hear the noise from the zipper as she pulled it down, but his hiss was loud and clear. His dress pants were a little baggy, so she parted them easily, then moved the waistband of his boxers so it was beneath his erection. She looked up at him for a second before her face descended to his lap. Her mouth opened, and her tongue shot out to tease the head of his arousal, circling it over and over before covering him with her mouth and moving down his shaft. She didn't go down too far, just a little before pulling back and repeating her performance with her tongue. She continued the routine, her mouth lowering more each time to encase more of his length. She was slow at first, but then she quickened her pace, and Derek's hand flew helplessly to her hair, tangling in her long blonde locks. "Penelope," he hissed.

But she was too busy to answer; her head dipping and then rising over and over again in his lap.

Derek could feel the throbbing between his legs become more prominent and tightened his hold on her curls. He pushed her head down while his hips bucked feverishly up off the seat. She reached for his thighs and pushed him back down, holding him in place. She heard him groan just before he started to come, and she swallowed greedily, not wanting to miss a single drop. Her lips left him, but her tongue was swirling around and around him, from tip to base, searching for any hint of him she might have overlooked. When it became clear that he was finished, Penelope lifted her head with satisfied sigh. "Best. Appetizer. Ever."

Derek threw his head back with a shout of laughter, and then reached up to the back of her head, pulling her down for a quick kiss.

"Let's eat and then get the hell out of here," he whispered, lifting his hips to fix his clothes.

"We could forgo the meal altogether," she suggested.

"But the anticipation is half the fun," he remarked, pulling his zipper up.

"Half?"

He grinned. "A fifth?"

Penelope laughed. "Not _even_ a fifth," she informed him.

He grinned as his seat came back up and then got out of the vehicle, then opened Penelope's door for her.

They were walking into the restaurant when she sighed.

"What?" he asked, grabbing one of her hands and threading their fingers together.

"There's only one thing I don't like about being with you," she asked.

"What's that?" he returned.

"Women notice you wherever you go," she informed him.

He laughed. "Yes, but you're forgetting something." He used their joined hands to haul her against his side.

She looked at him quizzically.

"_You're_ the only one I'm noticing," he whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

___

The only thing about the beds in ritzy hotels was that they were too fancy. So fancy, in fact, that instead of the standard rectangle headboard, this one had posts on the ends. Posts that at this very moment, Penelope Garcia happened to be tied to. With the thigh highs she'd been wearing only moments ago. "Derek," she said breathlessly.

"Yeah, baby girl?" he asked, looking up from the spot on her belly he'd been kissing.

She tried to speak but couldn't. So she tried again after catching her breath. "I want…to touch you. I _need_ to touch you."

"There'll be plenty of time for that later," he assured her, moving to her belly button. His tongue brushed inside, eliciting a giggle from her before he continued south. His lips moved to her inner thigh and he felt them stiffen immediately.

"What are you…?"

He lifted his head to grin at her. "The same thing you did earlier," he teased, returning to his task.

This was something Derek had never done with her before. In his experience, women either loved it, or they were too self conscious to let him down there. There was no in between. But he'd been longing for three years to taste her, and he was done waiting. If it was something she didn't like…well, dammitt, he'd make her like it! And if she wanted to punish him for it later—well…_that_ would give him something to look forward to.

When his lips found her center, he parted her and kissed her softly. She pulled her knee back until the heel of her foot was resting on his shoulder. "Derek," she groaned.

His tongue thrust out of his mouth, moving up and down her center. The heat increased from the friction of his tongue on her skin, and she began to quiver. He could feel her core swell beneath his tongue. Oooh, she _did_ like this.

"Derek, if you don't untie me right now, I'm gonna break this damn headboard," she threatened, trying to reach her stockings with her hands. But they were tied too far down on her wrists. And the man certainly knew how to tie a good knot.

"Darlin', that was the _wrong_ thing to say," he told her. The vision of that only served to get him more excited. He pushed two fingers inside of her, then began to move them rapidly in and out, his tongue working all the while.

Penelope was gasping for air; she could hardly catch her breath. She finally stopped fighting the stockings and fell back into the pillows, her head tilting back as she screamed out his name.

He lifted his head and removed his fingers, causing her head to lift off the pillow. "What are you doing?" she shrieked. She wasn't done yet!

"I wanna be inside of you," he whispered huskily, positioning himself at her opening.

"Untie me," she begged.

"No," he said, plunging inside of her.

"Oh," she said with a whimper. "I…" She tried to speak but couldn't; he was moving in and out of her with such precision, she wasn't able to concentrate.

Derek grinned down at her. "Use your words, Penelope," he said with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Do you want me to stop so you can catch your breath?"

"No," she cried, appalled at the thought of him stopping.

He used his hands to lift his upper body off her so he could look down into her face. She looked up at him, her blue eyes darker than usual. Her lips were parted, her body still struggling for breath. He _loved_ that he could do this to her—make her want him so much she couldn't stand it. He felt himself get even harder, and sped up, pumping his hips with incredible speed. Their lower bodies slammed together, her hips rising to meet his over and over again. Derek felt his body tighten the same time hers did when a thought occurred to him.

"Fuck," he said urgently.

"What?" she asked.

"I didn't put a condom on," he told her. He needed to pull out; he _knew_ he needed to pull out, but not just yet…she was so damn tight.

Penelope wrapped her legs around his waist, her ankles locking behind his lower back. "It's OK," she told him breathlessly. "I'm protected."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Derek slammed into her one last time and heard her moan his name while he came inside of her.

___

"What are you doing?" he asked the next morning as Penelope got out of bed. He lifted his head to look at the clock and then fell back onto his pillow with a sigh. Six a.m. They'd gone to bed less than three hours ago.

"I have to pack my stuff and checkout," she told him. "I'm going straight from the conference to the airport."

Derek sat up in bed, the sheet falling to his waist. They'd spent the night talking and…well, he wasn't sure what else—sex just didn't seem to cover it, because it had been so much more than that. But making love? He didn't know her well enough for that. Did he?

He got up on his knees and crawled to the edge of her side of the bed, reaching for the wrist that was pulling things out of her nightstand. She stood with a grin and turned around, leaning down to kiss him.

"Good morning," he said, pulling her against him. Her breasts crushed against his bare chest and he felt her nipples harden against his skin.

"Good morning," she whispered.

He lifted a hand to her chest, absently playing with one of her nipples. "Will you stay with me another night?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Disbelieving laughter bubbled up her throat. "What?" She was too thrilled at the thought of spending another night with him to keep the smile off her face. "I…I can't. The airline isn't going to refund my ticket, and the F.B.I won't pay for another one so I can spend the night in Boston to get it on with one of their finest," she teased.

He slapped her on the ass as she turned around and she squealed in surprise.

"_I'll_ buy your ticket," he said, trying to sway her.

She turned back to him. "I…" She studied his face for a minute before answering. "I'll stay another night with you."

With a grin, he pulled her with him and they tumbled backwards onto the mattress.


	4. Chapter 4

Penelope stood in front of the room full of F.B.I. agents and struggled to keep her mind focused on the topic she was presenting. But it was hard when Derek was sitting there—grinning lazily at her with a satisfied glint in his eyes. He was holding his coffee in one hand—the cup resting on his knee—and his other hand was resting on his thigh—one of the thighs she'd had to hold down the night before when he got too excited. Penelope could feel her cheeks getting red and tried to think of something else.

Her knees were weak and had it been from just the night before, she'd have been able to handle it. But coupled with the fact that she was going to get to be with him again tonight? She was afraid she was going to fall to her face and give the room a _real_ show. She cleared her throat and thought of…computers…and fuzzy pens…and the fact that she was going to have to wait another year to see him after tonight. _If _she even did. OK, well _that_ changed her mood. But not to what she wanted. Now she was just thinking about how much she was going to miss out on over the next 365 days.

When they broke for lunch, Penelope left with the people she was corroborating with and they made their way out onto the curb and hailed a taxi. They made their way to a nearby restaurant and went inside, sitting down together. They'd just placed their orders when a group of people walked up. "Hello. I'm Agent Hotchner," the tall, dark-haired man said to Penelope.

She grinned as she stood up. "Penelope Garcia," she said, sticking out her hand.

They shook hands, and then he introduced the two by his side. "This is Special Agent Emily Prentiss and Dr. Spencer Reid," he told her.

"Nice to meet you," she said with a grin.

Agent Hotchner went on to tell her that he worked for the BAU at the Quantico, Virginia office and had some questions about the newest tracking capabilities. It would have been easy for Penelope to blow them off and claim she was too busy, but she'd been considering relocating for a while now, and the office in Quantico was her number one choice. So she seized the opportunity and rubbed elbows with the team, answering all of the questions they'd thrown her way.

When lunch was over, they returned to the Boston office and began their afternoon session. Penelope got to sit down for a large part of the afternoon since she had little to do with the subject at hand, but proceeded to close at the end of the day. After getting everything together, she said her goodbyes and made her way to the sidewalk in front of the building. When she returned to the hotel, Derek was already there, lying on the mattress in his pajama bottoms.

"Hey," she greeted him as she walked into the room.

"Hey," he said with a grin. "How was your day?"

She slipped off her shoes and walked over to the bed, lying down next to him. "You mean besides the fact that you were eyeing me with those chocolate browns all day?"

He grinned as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to his side. "Yeah, besides that," he teased.

"Besides that, I'm great," she told him. "Just a little tired."

"Me, too," he said with a yawn. "I got a movie on the way back here."

"What did you get?" she asked.

He grinned down at her. "Bridget Jones' Diary," he told her.

"What? Why would you rent Bridge Jones' Diary?" she asked with a laugh.

"Because you told me that she reminds you of you," he reminded her.

"She does, but I don't think _you'll_ like it."

"I'm up for anything that'll give me some insight into _you_," he teased.

Penelope laughed again. "You're in for a real treat," she told him.

___

"I _still_ don't get why she went for the hard ass when she could have had the stallion," Derek said.

Penelope roared with laughter. "She went for _love_," she told him.

He frowned. "Instead of the mind-blowing sex?"

"Well, if you ever get the chance to see the second Bridget Jones movie, you'll see that she ended up with both," Penelope informed him.

"Oh, good," he said with a mock sigh of relief. "I'd hate to think of poor Bridget Jones never getting off again."

Penelope burst out laughing again. This was a side of Derek she'd never seen before—this amazing sense of humor and mocking. It was fun and she was enjoying every minute of it. But now she was ready to enjoy more of him. "What about poor Penelope _Garcia _never getting off again?" she asked huskily, sitting up and throwing a knee over his waist so she was straddling him.

Derek reached underneath the nightshirt she'd changed into before the movie and pushed her panties aside, immediately finding her center. "_That_ is not likely to happen," he informed her, putting his other arm above his head on the pillow while he moved two fingers back and forth over her. She was squirming immediately, and a slow grin spread across his face. Her head fell back, and he watched the rise and fall of her chest as it quickened, until she finally whimpered in delight and then fell down onto the mattress beside him with a sigh, removing her panties in anticipation of what was to come. "That was nice," she said.

Derek laughed. "Nice? That was _nice_?" he asked, removing the only thing he was wearing—his pajama bottoms. "I wasn't going for _nice_."

She gave him a sleepy grin—it was their second night together and she'd barely gotten three hours of shuteye last night. She was exhausted, but nowhere near ready for sleep. "What were you going for?"

He rolled up onto his side and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Hot," he said, then kissed her forehead. "Pleasurable," he continued, kissing her jaw. "Naughty. Anything but _nice_," he said with a frown.

She laughed as she lifted an arm to his waist. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, Derek Morgan, but when you aren't inside of me, all you get…is nice." She leaned forward, lifting her lips to his. His mouth opened immediately and her tongue swept inside, searching for his. He lifted is own arm to her waist as he deepened their kiss, then flipped her over onto her back. She squealed in surprise.

"Derek," she said breathlessly.

"Oh, was that _nice_?" he teased.

She laughed again, but it quickly turned to a moan when he pushed inside of her.

"I don't think I'll ever get enough of you," he said huskily. He moved slowly, wanting to feel her surround every inch of him. She was wet and she was tight and she was hot—three of Derek Morgan's favorite things. But when she lifted her hips, he thrust forward, unable to stop himself. He watched as her lips parted and her eyelids closed, then leaned forward and brought his mouth to hers, his tongue forcing her lips further apart to plunge forth into her mouth once again. Her eyes flew open, and he felt the vibrations in her mouth when she sighed.

"You are so damn good," she told him when he moved his mouth to her neck. For God's sake, it was as if he'd created kissing. He continued plunging in and out of her, his pace taking on an urgency she'd never experienced with him before. She lifted her hips to meet each thrust, then lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist. His hands searched for hers, then linked their fingers together as they kept their rhythm going. "Derek," she groaned.

"Me, too," he said, as his body found its release. He was already coming inside of her when he felt her tense one last time before relaxing back into the mattress in satisfaction. She sighed. "That was…hot. It was…" Her lips twitched. "Pleasurable." She grinned up at him. "And oh…so…naughty."

Derek threw his head back with a shout of laughter before gathering her in his arms and falling onto his side, pulling her close to him.

___

Penelope's flight was leaving hours before his, so after she'd gotten all of her stuff together Derek brought her to Logan Airport. He drove up in front of the entrance and stopped the car, putting it in park. They'd decided at the hotel that they'd say their good byes instead of here at the airport.

Penelope turned to him with a smile on her face. "Thank you for another…amazing experience," she said softly.

Derek didn't say anything, just nodded.

She smiled at him one last time and reached for the handle on the door, but he grabbed her hand. "Don't you think we should make this a _six_ month thing instead of a twelve month thing?" he asked before he could stop himself.

She laughed as she opened her door. "I'll put together a proposal and get it to my boss," she said flippantly, misunderstanding him. "Maybe he'll approve it."

Derek opened his own door and walked to the back of the car, removing her luggage from the trunk. After putting it down beside her, he lifted a hand to one of her curls and ran his fingers down the soft lock. "Good bye, Penelope Garcia," he said quietly.

With one last smile, she turned around and headed for the doors. She'd almost reached them when she spun around and ran back to him, her lips crushing against his before pulling away. "Good bye, Derek Morgan," she said breathlessly.

All he could do was watch as she once again walked out of his life.


	5. Chapter 5

"And this is your office," the young blonde told Penelope.

"Thank you. JJ, was it?" Penelope asked in a friendly voice as she stepped into her new home away from home. The equipment was state of the art, and she'd expected nothing less. If you were gonna catch up with the criminal masterminds of today, you had to be as savvy as they were.

She grinned as she rubbed her pregnant belly. "Yes," she said tiredly.

Penelope smiled back. "Baby keeping you up at night kicking?"

But JJ shook her head. "Actually—heartburn."

Penelope nodded. "Baking soda and water works like a charm."

JJ wrinkled her nose in disgust and Penelope laughed.

"It sounds disgusting—I know, but I swear—it works."

"Thanks," JJ said. "I'll try to remember that. And if I get more than four hours of sleep tonight, I owe you. You ready to head back down to HR?"

Penelope nodded. "Sure," she said as JJ led the way to the elevator. They'd just finished lunch and she'd spent the morning completing her transfer. She was glad to be heading down to a seminar instead of staring at more paperwork. "So, you don't travel with the team?"

"I usually do," JJ said. "But the doctor said I could pop any day now, so I've been on restriction from flying." She grinned. "Restriction from my doctor and forbidding from my husband. He'd never forgive me if I gave birth ten states away."

Penelope laughed softly but couldn't fend off the twinge of envy at JJ's situation. She'd love to be in the same position right now. She'd just turned 37, and the fact that she was getting older hadn't escaped her attention. She was longing to settle down and have a real family, but there was no one on the horizon right now. She bit back a sigh—of course, it didn't help that Derek Morgan permeated every inch of her mind almost every second of the day.

It had been four months since their last encounter. When she had said good-bye at the airport, she had this fantasy in her mind that he'd run after her, declare his love, and beg her to go to Chicago with him. Of course that hadn't happened—her life wasn't a John Hughes film. But it hadn't stopped her from wishing anyway. Things had _never _gone as planned for her, and she was pretty sure her luck wasn't about to turn anytime soon.

The elevator doors slid open and JJ led her down a hallway, then followed her into a large room where several other people were sitting. She grinned weakly at Penelope. "We're both due for Sexual Harassment training. I was scheduled for later this week, but since we'll both be in the office for the rest of the week, I figured I'd sit in now with you. I want to be available if you have questions." The girls sat down and JJ turned to Penelope. "Hotch called a little while ago—he's the Unit Chief. I believe you met him in Boston."

Penelope nodded.

"The team is on its way back. By the time we're done sexual harassment and more paperwork—"

Penelope groaned and JJ grinned.

"I'll try to make it quick, I promise. Anyway, by the time we're done, they'll probably be back." JJ grinned. "You'll get to meet the whole team. You're gonna love 'em."

___

Derek Morgan yawned as he walked into the BAU with his go bag slung over his shoulder. He'd traded his jeans and button up shirt for a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before they'd left for Quantico. It had been an easy case—at least, easier than usual—he corrected himself. They were never easy.

He'd been at the BAU for two and a half months now, and he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to the blank stare that greeted him every time he approached a lifeless body. He thought he'd known what was in store for him, but he realized more with each case that he'd had no clue. It was no wonder the different teams within the FBI were like families. No one could ever understand what you'd seen unless they'd seen it, too. And Derek was thankful for his team members. Not only were they a wealth of knowledge, but they were supportive as well.

He followed Hotch—Prentiss and Reid were bringing up the rear—onto the elevator and leaned against the back wall, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He ran his hands down his face—he was scruffy after not having shaved for two days, and he desperately needed a shower. He probably didn't smell very good. As soon as he finished up the paperwork for this case, he was headed straight home to a cold beer and then bed. That was the plan, anyway. But he groaned as he was certain _that_ wasn't going to happen. Female hormones and all that.

___

Derek pasted a fake smile on his face as he walked towards the young woman standing outside of the BAU. When he reached her, he put his arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "How ya feeling?" he asked softly.

She frowned. "Like I'm about to burst," she told him. "I hate being pregnant."

"It'll all be over soon," he reminded her. Why couldn't she be more like JJ? JJ was enjoying every moment of her pregnancy, not complaining because of swollen ankles and stretch marks.

"Not soon enough," she grumbled.

Derek forced a laugh as they reached his cubicle, then he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a big hug. "Everything OK while I was gone?" he asked tenderly. She might be a pain in the butt, but she _was_ pregnant and he supposed he could be a little bit more sympathetic.

"Clooney got sick," she said. "I think he misses you when you go away."

"Yes, well, we've never spent more than a weekend apart," Derek told her. And even then, it had only been the one time.

Boston…four months ago. Where he'd spent a glorious two nights with Penelope Garcia. He could still remember every second—he relived them every night before he went to bed. He groaned. Unless he didn't sleep—like last night. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then opened them when he remembered he was standing—in a department full of people no less. Sleep. He really needed to go home and get some sleep.

___

Penelope was grinning as she and JJ turned the corner, but when she saw him—with his arms around a pregnant woman, no less—it disappeared. A lump suddenly formed in her throat and she froze.

"You OK?" JJ asked.

"Yes," Penelope said quickly. "I…I just need to use the ladies room," she lied.

JJ grinned. "And then I'll introduce you to the team," she said.

Penelope nodded. "Sure."

She watched until JJ walked through the front door, and then her gaze flew to the couple again—was it _really _him? The woman was obviously pregnant—probably due any day now—which meant that while _she'd_ been with him, this other woman was carrying his baby! Penelope choked back a sob and then headed for the ladies room.

___

He couldn't explain it, but Derek suddenly spun around just in time to catch a glimpse of blonde hair disappear around the corner. That alone wasn't enough to tell him who she was, but coupled with the fact that his whole body went on alert—he knew _exactly _who she was. Derek's entire body was on fire as he turned and quickly headed for the pair of glass doors.

He practically flew around the corner before skidding to a stop. "Penelope?" he called.

But she didn't stop.

"Penelope!" he repeated more urgently.

Her pace quickened, and it was then he realized what she'd witnessed. He sprinted towards her and grabbed her arm, spinning her around so she was forced to face him.

"Let go of me," she said weakly.

"She's my sister," he told her softly. But when she tried to pull away, his voice became more firm. "She's my sister."

She lifted her eyes to his and studied them. And she knew he was telling her the truth. To her mortification, Penelope began sobbing.

Derek let go of her arm and pulled her into his embrace, hugging her tightly. "My God, I missed you," he said in a raspy voice.


	6. Chapter 6

"I missed you, too," Penelope managed to choke out through her sobs. She was horrified by her display. She _knew_ what she looked like when she was crying, and it wasn't pretty.

He laughed softly. "Then why are you crying?" he asked as he looked down at her.

"I don't know," she wailed.

Derek let one arm fall to the hem of his shirt and lifted it to wipe at the tears falling down her cheeks.

She wrinkled her nose distastefully. "You don't smell very good," she informed him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "If I'd known you were gonna be here, I would have dressed for the occasion."

She lifted her face to his, and he kissed her softly. He could taste the salt from her tears and tightened his hold on her.

"What _are_ you doing here?" he asked as he pulled away.

"I've been looking for a change for a while," she said. "Quantico was at the top of my list…when I was ready."

_Why not Chicago?_ he almost asked, but kept the thought to himself.

"And after the Boston conference, Aaron Hotchner kept in contact with me. When the Technical Analyst for the BAU left, he called and offered me the job on the spot."

"You're working in the BAU?" Derek asked in surprise.

She nodded.

"_I_ work in the BAU," he informed her.

Penelope grinned weakly. "I kind of figured that out."

Derek winced. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding," he said softly.

Penelope shook her head. "I'm sorry for getting upset," she said. "It wouldn't be any of my business even if you _were_ expecting a baby with another woman. I mean…It's not like you owe me anything."

He frowned at her statement.

"Derek?" she said. "Are you OK?"

"No," he said quietly. "I'm just thinking about how little you really know me," he told her. Her statement had proven _that_.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He shook his head slowly. "Don't be sorry," he said as he smiled at her. But it wasn't a happy smile; it was more of a sad one. Wistful, really. But it was only a moment before it turned genuine. "We have all the time in the world to get to know each other now," he said, leaning down to give her a quick peck on the lips.

The sound of a clearing throat caused them to jump apart. "So I see you've met SSA Derek Morgan," JJ said with an amused grin.

Penelope nodded slowly. "I have," she agreed.

"Are you gonna greet the rest of the team the same way?" she teased.

Derek practically growled. "No," he ground out. "She is _not._"

Penelope pursed her lips to keep from laughing. Amazing how she could go from sobbing to smiling in a matter of minutes.

___

"I'm gonna have company tonight," Derek said as he raced into his apartment. "The girly kind. Hey, Clooney," he said, giving his pooch a scratch behind the ears. He looked back up at his sister. "And you're more than welcome to stay, but I plan on making her scream."

Desiree wrinkled her nose. "Like I'm gonna stay for that."

"Exactly," Derek said with a curt nod.

"Can't you go to her place?" Desiree asked impatiently.

Derek shook his head. "Nope. I've had her in four different hotels in Boston. Tonight, I'm gonna have her in my _bed_."

Desiree's jaw dropped. "Ever heard of TMI?"

"Des, you know I love you," Derek told her, ignoring her comment.

"I know you do—"

"But you're acting like a spoiled brat right now. You're about to be a mother. It's time to get your shit together and go home."

"But—"

"No buts, Des. Get it together. Your ticket is waiting at the airport."

"What?"

"Your flight leaves in a few hours. If you want a ride to the airport, I'll give you one. But you're done using me to play your games."

"Derek—"

"Des, I've been letting you stay with me because I thought that it would eventually sink in that you're an adult and you'd go home to your husband. But it hasn't sunk in, and I'm tired of waiting."

"You're being kind of a jerk," she muttered.

"And you're being kind of a baby," he shot back.

"I can't believe you're doing all of this for a roll in the hay," she said.

"She's not just a roll in the hay," Derek said, pulling his vacuum cleaner out of the hall closet. He plugged it in and looked at his sister. "What are you gonna do, Des?" he asked.

She sighed. "First of all, I'm gonna grill you about the girl. What do you mean, 'she's not just another roll in the hay?' _Everyone_ has been a roll in the hay since Justine broke off your engagement."

"This one's different," he said.

"Well, what's different about her?"

"She doesn't ask a lot of questions, for one," he said with annoyance.

Desiree laughed. "Yes, well, _she's_ not your sister."

"Thank God," Derek agreed.

"I'll go pack my things," she said. "But I am _not_ going back to Chad!"

"Are, too!" he yelled as she started up the stairs.

"Derek, he's being a jerk!" she insisted.

"Des, if you run away when he tries to be honest with you, how is he ever gonna be _able_ to be honest with you? The guy has cold feet about becoming a father. So what? He's a twenty-three year old man. Of _course_ he's got cold feet. I bet you do, too."

Desiree straightened. "This conversation is over," she said, heading up the stairs again.

"Yes, well, it usually is when someone else is right," Derek muttered.

"I heard that!" she yelled.

"Of course you did," he yelled back.

___

Derek looked around his living room and nodded in appreciation. Not bad for a rushed job. Bringing Desiree to the airport had taken a big chunk of his time, but she was gone, and all was well with his world once again. Extraordinary, in fact.

He'd left the office a little early, but every ounce of exhaustion he'd been feeling had disappeared when he'd seen Penelope Garcia—replaced instead with anticipation. He could hardly believe his eyes when he'd finally seen her. And the way his body had reacted—it was like it knew that satisfaction was on the way.

He'd seen her before he'd left work, and given her directions to his place. He wasn't sure what time to expect her—he'd been hoping she'd come over straight from the office—but he wanted her to get there _now._

When the doorbell rang, he had to force himself not to sprint to answer it. He walked slowly, instead, but even with the forced composure, he pulled the door open harder than he'd needed to. Penelope grinned. "That excited to see me, huh cowboy?"

He smirked back at her. "I'll put on a ten-gallon hat and boots and spurs if you want me to."

She tilted her head to the side. "Some other time," she said quietly. "No sense in putting them on now when I'm just gonna tear 'em off ya anyway."

Derek chuckled. "Where to for dinner?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No," she said firmly. "I don't want to go to dinner…or a movie…or anything else."

"What _do_ you want?" he asked.

Her eyes locked onto his. "Tonight…you're the main course," she whispered.

Derek grabbed one of her wrists and pulled until she came smashing into his chest. "I've always wanted to be on the menu," he teased, lowering his lips to hers.


	7. Chapter 7

"Is it just me, or does it _actually_ get better every time?" Derek asked.

"Oh, it's not just you," she answered. "That was definitely…" her voice trailed off. There really weren't any words to describe what had just happened.

Derek chuckled. "At this rate, we're gonna be soaring through the clouds within a week."

Penelope laughed as she threw a hand over her head and studied his living room ceiling. They hadn't quite made it to the bedroom…but then again, they hadn't _tried._ "I'm hungry now," she said.

"Of course you are. _Anyone _would be after that." He turned to look at her. "Nice job with your tongue, by the way."

She grinned. "I know, right?"

"_Where_ did you come up with that?"

She shrugged. "Spur of the moment," she admitted.

"Well, don't forget it," he growled. "I'm gonna want that to happen again."

She laughed. "My pleasure," she said, her eyelids fluttering closed.

When he didn't say anything for a minute, she opened her eyes. Her cheeks began to blaze under his stare. "What are you doing?" she asked nervously. He was up on his side, his head resting on his hand. His eyes were unblinking as he studied her.

"Nothing," he said with a grin.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said in a squeaky voice.

"Like what?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know! Like _that._" Penelope suddenly wished she had a blanket that she could cover herself up with. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Derek reached over and put his hand on her waist, pulling her up onto her side. He ran his fingers down her flesh to rest his hand on the curve of her hip. "Because," he said softly. "I know I'm gonna see you tomorrow. And the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that."

Penelope grinned. OK, so _that_ made her feel a little bit better. He was thinking about tomorrow. "But not the day after that. I got to D.C. every weekend," she teased.

"What's in D.C.?" he asked.

"One of my brothers and his family," she told him.

Derek frowned. "Well, I don't think that's fair. I think we should have shared custody of you. I should get you at least one weekend night."

Penelope laughed. "I'll see what we can work out."

"What do you want to eat?" Derek asked, changing the subject.

"At this point, anything will do," she said as her stomach growled.

Derek stood up and began getting dressed and Penelope did the same. When she reached for her shirt, he snagged it away from her. "I think you should eat with no clothes on."

Penelope laughed as she grabbed it back. "I think you should control those hormones. For crying out loud, you _just_ got laid." She pulled her shirt up over her shoulders.

He sighed. "I'll try," he teased, grabbing her shirt and pulling her to him. He buttoned it up, and then wrapped his arms around her. "You're just so damn sexy I have a hard time holding myself back."

She laughed. "Well, I like _that._"

XXXXX

Penelope sat down at the kitchen table as Derek looked for something to eat, finally settling on Special K with strawberries. Penelope raised her eyebrows. "Impressive," she teased.

He grinned. "Sorry. I haven't had time to shop yet." And even though Desiree had been there, she was into this weird vegan thing—great for her, but he had no interest in it. He'd thrown her tofu away the second he'd arrived home from dropping her off. He served Penelope her bowl of cereal, then grabbed his off the counter and sat down next to her. They ate in silence for a few moments.

"Your house is cozy," she said as she looked around his kitchen.

Derek grinned. "That was _all_ Desiree. I was content with paper plates and plastic cups, but she freaked out, made me give her my credit card, and decorated the hell out of the place."

Penelope laughed. "At least she kept it masculine."

"That's true. She could have gone pink."

"You would have killed her."

"Ahhh…she's family. I would have let her live, but I would have made her life miserable." Derek looked up at the sound of scratching at the back door and stood. "I forgot about Clooney," he said.

"Ahhh, yes. The new dog."

Derek grinned. Clooney wasn't so new anymore, but he was impressed that Penelope had remembered. He opened the back door and Clooney flew in, stopping at Penelope's side to sniff her. Derek walked over after closing the door and grinned. "Penelope, Clooney. Clooney, Penelope," he said, introducing them.

Clooney looked at his owner and barked twice.

"Right," Derek said to him, then lifted his eyes to Penelope, his lips lifting in a crooked grin. "Clooney says it's nice to meet you. He's heard _a lot_ about you."

Penelope laughed as reached out to scratch the dog behind his ears. "Ditto," she said solemnly.

He sat down beside her, his eyes closing as he enjoyed her petting him.

"I think I'm getting jealous of my own dog," Derek teased.

She lifted an eyebrow at him. "I have two hands," she reminded him.

He grinned at her. "So you do."

Penelope sighed as she stood up, but it turned into a laugh when Clooney barked in protest. "I have to go," she said.

"And just _where_ do you think you're going," Derek said, grabbing her wrist as he stood and pulling her against his chest.

She laughed. "Home."

"Why?" he pressed.

"We have to work in the morning," she said breathlessly as he buried his face in her neck.

"I think you should go home, get your clothes, and then come back here."

Penelope laughed. "No way. If I start doing that, people at the office are gonna think I'm all _kinds_ of slutty."

"Who cares what people at the office think?" Derek asked with a frown.

"I do," she said. "For all everyone else knows, we just met."

He shrugged. "Well, we'll solve that by telling them we've known each other for years."

Penelope laughed. "No," she said, pushing him away.

"So…we're a secret?" he asked.

"Just for now," she said.

"Well, for how long?" He wasn't sure he liked this.

"Just for now," she repeated.

He studied her face.

"Derek, I can't walk into a new job and then fall into the arms of the player who works there," she said quietly.

"I'm not a player," he said.

"You had me in bed within a half hour of introducing yourself to me," she reminded him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. _You_ were the one who invited _me_ up," he shot back.

"Are you saying you wouldn't have suggested it if I hadn't?"

"Oh, no, I definitely would have suggested it," he admitted. "But that wasn't a typical night for me, Penelope. I don't usually go home with a woman I don't know. But there was something about you…" His voice trailed off.

She stepped into him and wrapped her arm around his waist, lifting her face to look at him. "There was something about you, too," she agreed. "But…I've been here before…the girl who's dating the hot guy at work. It…didn't end well and I just need a little time. Is that OK?"

He smiled softly at her. "I didn't hear anything else after you said 'the hot guy at work.' I'm the hot guy at work?" he teased.

She squeezed her arms around his waist. "Derek," she scolded.

He sighed. "Fine. We'll do it your way. For now."

"Thank-you."

He nodded. "But now that I know you have a history of dating the hot guy at work…well…if we hire anyone who's as good looking as I am, _we're_ going public."

Penelope laughed. "There _isn't_ anyone as good looking as you are," she informed him.


	8. Chapter 8

Derek sighed as he put his headphones on and looked out the window and watched the Earth beneath pass by. It had been an extremely rough case in Nashville. All of the victims had been wives—leaving husbands and sometimes children behind. The men had been broken, the children devastated—as was to be expected.

And for the first time in a long time, Derek had had someone that caused the case to hit even closer to home for him. It had only been two weeks, but there was a part of him that already felt like he didn't ever want to be without Penelope. Maybe absence really _did_ make the heart grow fonder and that's what was going on with them—but whatever it was, it wasn't something he wanted to go away. He _liked_ feeling this way about her—he was crazy about her and he wanted the whole world to know it—or at least their friends at the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Besides JJ, who had remained quiet after she'd seen them embracing on Penelope's first day.

But for now, if she needed no one to know about them, he was willing to do that. Because all he really needed was her.

XXXXX

"Good news," Derek said as he walked into Penelope's office. He'd taken the time to drop his go-bag on his desk, and then he'd come straight to her.

"What's that?" she asked as she turned her chair around.

"Hotch is really impressed with your skills," he told her.

Penelope grinned at him. "The same way _you're _impressed with my skills?" she teased.

Derek frowned as he turned an empty chair around and sat down, straddling it. "I hope not," he said. "Otherwise we'll have one hell of a sexual harassment investigation going on."

Penelope laughed, and then her face softened when Derek's frown remained. "I was kidding," she said.

"Oh, I know," he said distractedly.

"Derek? You OK?" she asked.

"It was…a rough one," he said.

She tilted her head to the side. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

He smiled tenderly at her. "You shouldn't be. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because knowing that when I come back…_you're_ going to be here…it makes things better."

"Derek," she said softly, fighting the intense urge to hug him.

"Let's go out tonight," he said, his tone changing to one of enthusiasm.

Penelope laughed. "Or stay in," she said suggestively.

But Derek shook his head. "I don't want it to be like that, Penelope."

She straightened. "Is it…not…good for you anymore?" she asked uneasily.

Derek reached for her hand with his and linked their fingers together. "That's not it," he assured her. "But I want there to be more to us that just mind-blowing lovemaking."

_Sweet Lord_, Penelope thought. He'd just used the phrase lovemaking. If ever there was a time to have sex, it was now. But he was making his body off limits. "So…" She cleared her throat. "How long do we have to not have sex for?" she asked. She didn't like this.

Derek chuckled. "Just for the night," he told her. "Tonight's date night."

"OK," she agreed.

He grinned as he stood. "So put on your sexiest little number and I'll pick you up around seven," he told her. "And for God's sake, make sure you wear panties or I'll have to rethink the way I want this night to go."

Penelope laughed as she nodded. "Panties…got it."

XXXXX

Derek was there at seven o'clock on the dot, and when Penelope opened the door for him, he let out a low whistle. She'd straightened her hair; it fell in sleek locks over one shoulder. The dress she was wearing was a teal color, in perfect contrast to the blonde. It was cut so low that Derek's gaze moved from her eyes, down over her face and neck to rest on her cleavage. Apparently she was wearing a push up bra, her cream colored flesh pushing against the fabric as if it wanted to bust through. He'd never seen such voluptuousness. The dress cascaded down over her body showing off her curves—it wasn't tight, but was fitted just enough so that he didn't have to use his imagination to see her silhouette beneath—stopping well above her knees.

"What in the hell are you trying to do to me?" he asked, his throat suddenly dry. Leaving the house suddenly seemed like a _very_ bad idea. Derek felt just like sixteen year old boy about to have sex for the first time.

Penelope stepped onto the front deck and pulled the door closed behind her, then took a few steps away from him only to stop and throw a coy look over her shoulder. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said in a teasing tone, her eyes sparkling with pleasure. It was obvious he liked what he saw.

"Like hell you don't," he said through gritted teeth as he made his way to her side. He had to force himself to keep his hands at his sides. One touch and he knew he'd throw her over his shoulder and take her back into the house.

Derek reached his vehicle before she did and he opened the door for her, slapping her on the ass as she stepped in. He heard her laugh as he closed the door behind her.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see," he answered.

"Ahh…you're being mysterious tonight."

He laughed. "I'm trying. But the way I'm feeling right now…" He took her hand and led it to the fly of his pants. "Not so mysterious."

She grinned at him as she moved her hand back and forth over the fabric; he was getting harder beneath her touch. With a hiss, he grabbed her wrist and pushed it back towards her lap. "That's probably not the best idea," he told her.

XXXXX

Dinner at the little independently owned Italian restaurant had been fabulous. And when Derek had told her that the night was just beginning, her curiosity had definitely been provoked. He pulled into a parking lot that was very near empty—it would fill up within an hour or so, he assured her—picked a spot, then turned the vehicle off.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"You'll see," he told her.

She rolled her eyes. "You're really playing up this whole 'mysterious' thing, aren't you?"

"Oh, Penelope," he said with a laugh. "You have no idea."

Derek got out of the SUV and she followed him around to the back, taking in the loud music she heard. "This is country music," she said with a frown. She wasn't really a fan of country music and was pretty sure she'd told him that. But she supposed they couldn't do what she wanted to do _all_ the time.

"Who says we're here for the music?" he asked. She could just make his grin out in the moonlight.

"I…don't understand," she said as he opened up the back of his vehicle.

He grinned at her as he pulled something out of the bag in the back. "We're here to make one of your dreams come true," he said as he placed a cowboy hat on her head. Then he reached in and pulled another one out, and put it on his own.

She gasped. "My cowboy fantasy."

"What cowboy fantasy?" he asked with an innocent grin as he pulled his shoes off. He grabbed a pair of cowboy boots from the back and pulled them on, then straightened.

"Derek," she said breathlessly as she took the step that separated them. "You do realize how the cowboy fantasy ends, right?" she asked, pressing her body against his.

"Vaguely," he said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a soft kiss at the base of his throat.

She sighed. "Let me remind you," she said huskily as her fingers caressed the skin on the back of his neck.

"It ends with me…" Her voice fell to a whisper. "On top."

He swallowed past the lump of desire in his throat. The thought of her riding him was enough to drive him insane. But the thought of her on top of him wearing _that_ dress…he was pretty sure it would kill him.

Derek chuckled as he stepped back. "First things first," he said.

Penelope grinned as he took her hand and led her in the general direction of the music. She was pretty sure she'd be getting her way tonight after all.


	9. Chapter 9

Penelope yawned as she lowered her head to Derek's shoulder. She almost fell over when he jerked back. "Let's go," he said quickly, grabbing her hand and pulling her along behind him.

"Derek, what are you—"

He swung around and she crashed into his chest. He grabbed her upper arms. "It's tomorrow," he said.

She gave him a confused look. "I said we couldn't have sex last night. It's tomorrow," he explained.

"Oh," she said softly. Then, "_Oh," _she said as it finally sunk in. Thirty seconds ago, she'd been struggling to keep her eyes open. Derek had kept her on the dance floor all night long and she'd been exhausted. But now that he was suggesting sex…well, she perked up. She lifted her hands and pushed against his chest. "What are you waiting for?" she asked lifting her lips in a sultry grin.

He pulled her to him, his lips crushing against hers. She parted her lips and thrust her own tongue forth desperate to find his. He tightened his grip on her upper arms and then pulled away. "Vehicle. Now," he rasped.

They dashed to the Derek's SUV, and when they reached it, he threw her into the backseat and then climbed into the front.

"Derek, what in the hell are you doing?" she asked just before she went flying backwards against the seat as he took off.

He barely looked as he pulled out of the parking spot. "Finding a secluded area," he announced. Suddenly Penelope's hands came around to the front of the seat and she began working the buttons on his shirt, her tongue tickling his ear.

"Isn't this secluded enough?" she practically purred.

Derek slapped her hands away. "For God's sake, woman! Control yourself or we're gonna be in the ditch."

She laughed. "There _is_ no ditch," she reminded him.

The car came to a halt, and Derek crawled over the backseat, landing with a thud next to Penelope. They moved forward at the same time, Penelope reaching for the buttons on his shirt again. Derek's hands rested on the sides of her breasts, pushing them together as his tongue licked at her flesh, leaving a trail of heat where he'd tasted her. "Derek," she breathed, as she pushed his shirt down over his shoulders. She lifted a leg over his thighs and moved so she was straddling him. She lifted her hands so they were resting on the back of the seat as he continued teasing her breasts with his tongue and lips. His hands fell to her thighs and he moved them up underneath her dress. Through the fabric of her panties, his thumb found her core, swollen and throbbing. He moved his fingers back and forth and her body tightened almost immediately.

"Fuck, Derek," she said.

"I love it when you say that," he growled.

She groaned in protest when his thumb left her. "Derek—"

"I'm sorry," he said as he lifted his face to her neck and placed an open-mouthed kiss on her warm skin. "But I have to have you now."

She heard the sound of his belt unbuckling, and then suddenly he was on his back. She lifted herself up onto her knees so he could push his pants down to his knees. "I'm rethinking the panties thing," he said with a grin. "Now they're just in the way."

"Not as much as you'd think," she said, as she reached between her legs and pushed them to the side.

Derek nodded. "Nice," he said huskily as he slid two fingers inside of her. When he felt her moist heat, he withdrew them immediately and his hands found her waist. "Sorry, Darlin'. But there's no waiting tonight."

He pulled her down onto him and she squeaked in surprise as he swiftly filled her. Falling forward, her hands shot out to brace herself on his shoulders. His hips rose again and again, slamming into her with each lift as she rode him. "Is the seatbelt digging into your back?" she barely got out.

He grinned up at her. "I have no idea," Derek said, his fingers digging into her waist. "And if you wanted to ride me like this all night long, it wouldn't matter if it _was_."

Her head fell back as her body tensed, her hands moving to her thighs to clench the hem of her dress. Derek reached between her legs and found her center once again, then cursed as his phone began ringing. It was coming from the floor, so he reached blindly for it. He finally found it but before he could flip it open, Penelope grabbed it. "You're gonna…" She whimpered. "Answer your phone while you're inside of me?" she asked. She was going for disbelief, but it sounded more like ecstasy.

Derek growled. "Sorry, Baby Girl. But it's my work ring. I don't have a choice."

"Derek," she begged.

He snatched the phone from her and flipped the phone open to put it to his ear, holding it against his cheek with his shoulder. "Morgan," he said, his hand returning to Penelope's core.

"Derek," she hissed angrily.

He lifted a hand to her mouth and covered it as the fingers on his other moved back and forth over her center. She bit down on his hand, not on purpose, but it couldn't be helped as she let out a strangled cry.

"Owww!" Derek said.

"Morgan?"

"I'm here," he said.

"I need you at the office ASAP," Hotch said. "There's a situation in Texas and we need to go wheels up."

"I'm on my way," Derek said as he snapped his phone shut. He threw it back onto the floor.

"Again," he said, as he lifted his hips and drove into Penelope one last time with a groan.

"Derek," she said breathlessly as she collapsed down onto his chest. She took a deep breath before sitting up again. "We need to get you to the office," she said with a pout.

"Do you know what the best thing about leaving is?" he asked.

She shook her head in answer.

"Knowing I'm you're gonna be here when I come back," he said.

It was the second time he'd told her that, and Penelope couldn't fight back an elated grin. "I like the _coming_ part," she teased.

Derek closed his eyes with a groan. "I'm getting hard again," he said as his thumb and forefinger pinched the bridge of his nose.

She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "Too bad you have to get back to Quantico." She moved backwards as Derek tried to sit up, and then winced when her head hit the dome light.

"I'm too old for this," she said rubbing her head.

XXXXX

Penelope winced as she stepped out of the bathtub. She was sore from maneuvering around in the backseat of Derek's SUV and had decided on a bath to try and relax her muscles. She really _was_ too old for this. But being with Derek made her feel like a teenager again, minus the awkwardness she'd felt at that age.

She'd just put baby powder on and was tying the belt on her bathrobe when her doorbell rang. She breezed down the stairs and opened the door without a second thought. "Derek," she said in surprise. She gave him a puzzled look. "What are you doing here?"

She'd dropped him off at headquarters and had driven his vehicle back here since she hadn't gotten a callback.

"The idiot got pulled over for having a break light out," Derek said. "A woman he was holding hostage in the trunk started banging on it and that's how they caught him."

Penelope shivered at the thought and Derek stepped inside, closing the door behind himself. "You cold?"

"No," she said. "Just creeped out."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. "Should I stay so I can keep you safe?" he asked teasingly.

"Yes," she said softly.

He pulled back and looked down into her eyes, lifting his hands to frame her face. "I missed you," he told her.

She laughed nervously. "We were apart for less than two hours."

"See how you get to me?" he asked.

Penelope studied his face for a minute. "Come to bed," she said, leading the way to the stairs.

He followed her upstairs and into her bedroom, shucking his coat and boots once inside. He walked towards her bed and cursed when he stepped on something. He leaned down to pick it up and studied it for a moment. "Penelope?" he asked.

She looked up from the drawer she was rummaging through and her eyes widened at the sight of a Barbie doll.

"Whose is this?"

"Ava's," she answered.

"And Ava is...?"

"My little girl."


	10. Chapter 10

Derek stood there slack-jawed for a minute—just as she'd expected. But she hadn't expected silence for so long and what he must be thinking suddenly dawned on her. "She's not yours," she said quickly.

Derek nodded, not knowing whether to be angry or relieved.

"You have a daughter?" he asked in surprise.

Penelope sighed. "Well…where did you think these stretch marks came from?" she shot back.

He looked at her as if she had three heads. "Your voluptuous curves!" he answered.

"Derek, look—"

He held up a hand. "Just shut up for a minute so I can…think."

"Did you just tell me to shut up?" she asked.

"Yep."

"Well now _I'm_ mad!" she said, hands on her hips.

"Tough! You don't get to be mad," he informed her. "_I_ get to be mad. Why in the hell didn't you tell me you have a _daughter_?"

Penelope sighed. "I…the first time I slept with you…I thought we were just…flinging. It didn't seem…appropriate at that time. And…I didn't think I was going to see you again."

"And the second time we…flung?" he asked angrily.

"I still didn't think we'd see each other again."

"Ok, fine," Derek said. "And over the last few weeks? Every time we fucked did you think it was going to be the last time?"

"No," she muttered.

"This is…too much," he said. "I need to think."

"Well…will I see you before Monday?" she asked.

Derek gave her a confused look. "You'll see me in the morning," he told her as he reached for his belt.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Going to bed."

"_My _bed?"

"Yep," he said as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor.

"We're not done talking," she told him.

"Trust me. You _don't_ want to talk to me right now," he said as he kicked off his boots.

"Trust me, I _do_," she argued. "You're just…gonna be all _mad_ at me and then spend the night?"

"Yep."

She laughed in disbelief. "I don't think so."

"For God's sake, Penelope. We had a fight. We didn't break up," he said as he pushed his pants down over his legs and stepped out of them.

"Were we even together?" she squeaked. A lump of desire had formed in her throat; the mere sight of him in his boxers was enough to turn her on.

"It sure as hell felt like it a few hours ago." He crawled into bed and turned the lamp on the nightstand off.

"That's my side of the bed," she said.

"Not tonight." With that, he rolled over to let her know the conversation had come to a halt.

Penelope shed her clothes and got under the covers beside him. She turned the lamp on her designated side of the bed off, and moved up behind him to put an arm around his waist. She placed a soft kiss in the middle of his upper back and felt him tense immediately.

"Screwing me isn't going to make it go away," he said harshly.

She sighed and fell back onto the mattress.

They lay there for a few minutes, neither of them speaking. Penelope was just dozing off when she felt the mattress shift and it was only a second before the room was bathed in soft light.

"And by the way, I'm _still_ pissed about the whole Quantico thing," Derek said angrily as he turned to face her, his elbows bracing his upper body.

She gave him a confused look. "_What_ Quantico thing?" she asked.

"Did you ever even _consider_ moving to Chicago…to where I was?" he asked.

"No. I did _not_. I wasn't going to _chase_ you, Derek. There's nothing worse than a one night stand that comes looking for you!"

"I never wanted a one night stand, Penelope," he said quietly as he looked down at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, _really_? Then what _did_ you want the first time we slept together? Did you get onto that elevator thinking that we had a great thing going?"

"OK, maybe the first time we slept together…that was what I was looking for. But not the second. And not any time _after_ that."

"Derek—"

"Don't," he said gruffly. "Just…don't." The next second, his lips were on hers in a crushing kiss and he shoved his knee between her thighs. They tightened on his upper leg and he groaned as he pulled away, then leaned down to pull his boxers off.

He grabbed her behind the thighs and pulled her lower on the mattress, then put her hands above her head and pinned her wrists there.

"Derek," she whimpered.

"What?" he rasped as he bent forward to take her nipple between his teeth and give it a gentle tug.

"Oh, _God_," she said as she bucked up off the mattress. It had never been like this with anyone else before. She _loved _foreplay. And while Derek was certainly incredible at it, she could never wait for him to be inside of her.

She lifted her legs so her ankles locked behind him, leaving just enough room for Derek to drag his body up hers. As soon as he entered her she tightened her legs and had to use every ounce of energy she had to lift her hips up off the mattress to meet him as he thrust into her again and again. "I want to touch you," she said breathlessly, struggling to get her wrists out of his grip.

"Too bad," he said callously as he drove into her one last time with a groan. His body fell down on top of hers, his breathing ragged. He was still inside of her, but he was spent. He lay there for a minute with his forehead on her shoulder before reaching between her legs. He moved his fingers back and forth over her swollen core, and it was a matter of seconds before she was writhing beneath him. "Derek," she begged.

He let go of her wrists and she instantly moved them to her sides. Reaching for the sheets, she clutched them as her body convulsed around his. Her eyes closed as she sighed in pleasure. When her body finally stilled, Derek moved to roll off her, but she lifted her arms to his shoulders. "Don't go," she said softly.

They lay there until Derek fell asleep, Penelope tenderly stroking the back of his head. It was a long time before she found sleep.

XXXXX

Penelope had fallen asleep afraid she was going to wake up alone. But Derek was behind her, an arm casually draped across her waist. When he tried to pull away, she reached for his hand, linking her fingers through his. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

Derek was silent for a moment. "When you found out I lived here and we started spending more time together, that should have been on of the _first_ things you told me."

Penelope choked back a sob. "I wasn't ready to lose you," she said fiercely.

Derek pulled his hand away from hers and moved it to her waist, forcing her onto her back so she was looking up at him.

"Why would you lose me?" he asked.

"Single men and kids just…don't mix," she said.

"_Some_ single men and kids," he corrected. "Why didn't you tell me, Penelope?"

"I didn't tell you at first because…I loved the way you looked at me. You…wanted me so badly I could see it in your eyes. I didn't want anything to change that."

"Penelope—"

"The first time I met you, Ava was six months old," she told him.

"Where's her father?" he asked, settling back down on the mattress beside her.

"With his wife," she answered. "The wife he had the entire time we were dating. The wife that I didn't know about."

"Awww, Pen," he said.

"His name was Alex. He was an engineer working on a bridge they were building in D.C. I met him at a club one night and…things just kind of took off. He was only there Monday through Friday and he stayed with me every time he was in town. I thought we were having some…_love_ affair. Turns out, I was in love. He was…affair-ing."

"Pen…" he said, his voice trailing off.

"When I told him I was pregnant, he freaked out and wanted me to get rid of the baby. I told him I wouldn't, and he said that he didn't want to see me again. Then he told me he was married and he and his wife had a family of their own. He didn't need anymore kids. I never saw him again."

"I'm sorry," Derek said.

"Don't be," she said with a bitter laugh. "_I'm_ not." There was a short pause. "When I met _you_, Derek, you made me feel so…good. You were the first man I'd been with since Alex and I just…didn't want to ruin it. You wanted me more than anyone I'd ever been with. And I loved that. I _needed_ that."

Derek seized her wrist and placed a soft kiss on her palm. "And how many men _have _you been with?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"How many _women_ have you been with?" she shot back.

His lips twitched. "You're right. We shouldn't have this conversation." He leaned down to kiss her soundly and then pulled away, his eyes searching hers. "I just need to know one thing."

"What's that?" she asked breathlessly. Amazing that _one_ kiss could do that to her.

His eyes suddenly turned serious. "Am I gonna be the last?"


	11. Chapter 11

"You don't know what you're asking," Penelope said as she scooted to the other side of the mattress and got up. She grabbed her robe from the foot of the bed and pulled it on, tying the belt around her waist.

"Sure I do," he argued.

Penelope laughed. "No. You don't."

"Penelope—"

"You don't even _like_ kids!" she accused.

Derek frowned. "Where on _Earth_ did you get an idea like that?"

"Derek, you couldn't wait for your sister to leave before she had her baby!"

Derek groaned. "Penelope, that had _everything_ to do with my sister, and _nothing_ to do with her baby. If you'd spent any amount of time with Desiree, you'd know how she is. I love her because she's my sister, but she's a royal pain in the ass."

"Derek—"

He got out of bed and walked over to her, looping his arms loosely around her waist. "Penelope, stop trying to make decisions for me. You decided I shouldn't know about your daughter. Don't decide that I'm not going to like her."

"She's a spitfire," Penelope warned him.

"Of course she is," he said dryly. "She's _yours_, isn't she?"

"Derek—"

He lifted his hand to put a finger on her lips. "Hush. _Stop _trying to talk me out of this. It's not gonna work. I'm going to be crazy about her because I'm crazy about _you."_

Penelope sighed. "Derek…I can't introduce her to just anybody," she said quietly.

"I'm not just anybody," he corrected her. "I'm the love of your life."

"The love of my life would have already told me he loves me," she blurted before she could stop herself.

Derek looked at her for a moment before speaking. "I can remedy that right now," he said softly. "Penelope Garcia, I love you."

"You're only saying that because I forced you to," she said.

Derek groaned as he threw his hands in the air. "For the love of God, Woman! You are impossible!"

"Well, I always _have_ been. And I don't see that changing in the near future," she snapped.

But Derek's eyes danced with laughter as he leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. "Good thing I love a challenge."

"Derek…" she said pleadingly.

"Stop," he said firmly.

She shook her head. "It's not that," she told him. "But…can you please put some clothes on? It's hard to hold a conversation with you when you're standing here…" Her eyes ran the length of his naked body. "Like _that_."

Derek chuckled. "Yes, Baby. I can put some clothes on."

* * *

A few minutes later, Derek walked into the kitchen and helped himself to a cup of coffee. He turned around and leaned back against the counter. "So…where is she?" Derek asked curiously.

"She's at my brothers in D.C.," Penelope answered.

"How come she's not with _you_?"

"Because she had less than a month of school left, and I didn't want to move her before the end of the year. Preston and Helena said she could stay with them until then."

"So that's why you always go to D.C. on the weekends," he surmised.

Penelope nodded.

"Except this weekend." Derek grinned. "Because you couldn't resist me?"

"Well, there _is_ that. Plus, it's the last Friday of the month."

"_And_?"

"My brother and his daughter have 'daddy' night a few times a month, where he takes her out to a movie or dinner or…wherever she wants to go. It's a way for them to spend some time together just the two of them. But when Ava got old enough, they started invited her to go with them."

Derek nodded thoughtfully.

"My brother's been really great with her. It was…hard to make the decision to leave, but…this opportunity was just too much to pass up. And at least _here_, he's not so far away that we can't see him a few times a month."

"So when is she coming to live with you?" he asked.

"Eleven days," she answered quickly. Clearly she'd been counting down.

Derek resisted the urge to ask her if she'd planned to tell him about Ava before then. If he wanted this to go any further, and he obviously did, then he was going to have to accept her decision not to tell him about her daughter. While he might not _like_ it, he could understand it a little better knowing her history with Ava's father.

"Anyway, I have to shower so I can get going," she told him as she stood and walked over to him.

He put his coffee mug down onto the counter as she approached him. She sighed as she rested her hands on his shoulders. "I really _am_ sorry, Derek. I should have told you sooner."

"Forget it," he said softly as he tilted his head to the side. "It's in the past now."

Penelope nodded. "Right."

He lowered his face to hers and when their lips met, he ran his tongue along her lower one. With a moan, she parted her lips for him and his tongue pushed forward searching for hers. With a small squeak, she pulled away and looked down at her naked body. "How did you…?"

With a grin, Derek held up her robe in his left hand. "Sorry, Darlin'. But I didn't spend the night just to miss out on shower sex." He grabbed one of her shoulders and spun her around, then slapped her backside. "Lead the way."

* * *

"You look different," Preston said as soon as Penelope walked in the front door.

"Thanks," Penelope said, hoping her cheeks wouldn't begin to blaze. Of _course_ she did. She'd had morning sex with Derek Morgan less than two hours ago, for God's sake. _In the shower._ He'd been able to stand on the slippery surface _and_ hold onto her with both hands, grasping her waist and moving her up and down his length as though she was light as a feather. _That_ had made her feel pretty good. "Where's my kid?" she asked as she looked around. Usually Ava came running up as soon as her mother walked through the front door.

"She ran to the store with Helena and Abby. We were out of princess fruit snacks," he said dryly.

"How _dare_ you run out of princess fruit snacks?" Penelope asked with a laugh.

Preston studied her face for a minute. "Penny…you look _different_," he persisted.

"Well, I…got new make up," she lied.

He nodded. "Well, it agrees with you," he informed her.

"Thanks," she said. "How long ago did they leave?"

"They should be back any time."

Penelope nodded. "Good. So…we're grilling tomorrow around two," she informed her brother.

"_We_ are?" he asked amusedly.

Penelope grinned weakly. "OK, _you_ are."

"What's the occasion?" he asked as he led the way into the living room. He sat down on one end of the couch and she sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs.

"I met someone," she said carefully.

Preston grinned. "And we're _all_ going to celebrate?" he asked.

"I want him to meet Ava," she told her brother. "_And_ you."

Preston was silent for a minute.

"_What_?" Penelope asked knowingly.

"You _just_ moved, Penny. You can't just…meet someone and then introduce them to Ava."

"Do you really think I would bring just _any_ guy I met to come and meet Ava?" she asked.

He didn't answer.

"She's four and a half, Preston. And so far the only exposure she's had to men are you and the boys," she reminded him. The boys were her brothers collectively—all four of them. "I've never introduced her to anyone I've…casually dated. "

"So it's serious, then?"

Penelope nodded. "I think so. His name is Derek and I've known him for years. We've been dating for quite a while, actually. He wants to meet her. And…_I_ want him to."

"Maybe we should run a background check on him."

"He's F.B.I. I'm _pretty_ sure he doesn't have a record," she informed her brother.

Preston sighed. "I'm sorry. I just…get a little overprotective sometimes," he muttered.

"And I love you all the more for it."

The front door opened and Penelope heard little footsteps running into the living room. "Mommy!" Ava screeched in excitement, running into the room at top speed. "I knew you were here because I saw your car in the driveway! How come one of the tires is on the lawn?"

"Penny!" Preston said angrily. His yard was his pride and joy.

Penelope laughed. "You got me into trouble," she said as Ava jumped up onto her lap.

"I missed you, Mommy," she said as she wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of her mother.

"I missed you, too," Penelope said as she kissed the top of her daughter's head.

"Eleven days, right, Mommy?" Ava asked as she pulled away to look at her mother's face.

"Yes, baby. Eleven days."

* * *

"That's the friend that I was telling you about," Penelope said as the doorbell rang promptly at two o'clock the next day. "Do you remember what I said?"

Ava nodded. "I need to be polite."

Penelope nodded. "Like always." She opened the front door and Derek was standing there looking fantastic in a pair of light blue jeans and a white t-shirt. "Hello," she said with a grin.

He smiled back at her. "Hello." He crouched down so he was level with the little girl at Penelope's side. "You must be Ava." Derek didn't know if it was simply because she was Penelope's, or if she really _was_ the cutest little girl he'd ever seen, but he instantly fell in love with her; his first thought was that his mother was going to absolutely adore her. The little girl was wearing a white t-shirt and khaki colored overall shorts while Penelope was wearing a white t-shirt and a khaki colored skirt. From her blonde curls to her huge eyes, she looked _just_ like Penelope.

Ava studied his face for a minute before turning to her mother. "Mommy, you didn't tell me your friend was a boy! You know I don't like boys!" she said angrily. "Except for Uncle Preston."

"Does it help that I brought you flowers?" Derek asked as he presented her with a bouquet of daisies.

She gave him a dirty look. "I'm allergict."


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's Note: My apologies for the erratic updating over the last few months. I've had a busy summer and haven't had as much time to write as I would have liked. I'm hoping to remedy that starting right now. Thanks for reading and enjoy!_

"Excuse us," Penelope said mortified, and then turned to Ava. "Young lady, a moment." She marched from the room and a sulking Ava followed. Once they reached the living room, Penelope turned around and put her hands on her hips, then looked down at her daughter. "OK, first things first. How long, exactly, have you been 'allergict' to flowers?"

"Since yesterday," Ava muttered.

"Do you know what it means to be allergic to something?" Penelope asked with forced patience. Ava had always been a little spitfire, but this took the cake…even for her.

Ava lifted her chin defiantly. "It means that something makes you sneeze."

Penelope nodded. "Sort of," she agreed. "Well, then I think we're going to have to schedule a doctor's appointment to have this checked out."

Ava's eyes snapped up to her mother's. "Will I have to have a shot?" she asked.

Penelope shrugged. "I don't think so. But I can't say for sure."

"I'm not allergict to flowers," the little girl said quickly.

"Ya don't say," Penelope said. "OK, now…I would like to know when it has _ever_ been OK for you to treat someone like that."

Ava used the toe of her shoe to draw an invisible line back and forth over the carpet, looking down in order to avoid her mother's gaze.

"Focus, please," Penelope said sternly.

Ava lifted her eyes to her mother's. "Well, Mommy, you know I don't like boys!" she argued.

"Well if I didn't before, I sure do now!" Penelope waited, but her daughter didn't say anything more. "I'm gonna give you one more chance to go in there and be polite. And if you choose not to…well, then I don't even _dare_ to tell you what will happen."

"Is it bad?" Ava asked.

"Yes," Penelope answered.

Ava sighed and with her head down, walked back out into the entry way. She spoke not meeting Derek's eyes. "My name is Ava Jordan Garcia," she muttered. "And I'm very pleased to meet you."

Derek had to hold back a laugh. That was the most unconvincing statement he'd heard in his life—and he'd interviewed a lot of guilty people trying to profess their innocence. "I'm very pleased to meet you, too," he said sincerely. "And…my apologies about the flowers."

Ava turned to look at her mother. Penelope lifted her eyebrows expectantly, causing her daughter to sigh. She reached out and snagged the flowers from Derek's hand. "I just remembered that I'm not allergict to flowers." She looked down at them with a frown. "They're nice, but just so you know, _daisies_ aren't my favorite. _Lilacs_ are."

Derek grinned down at her. "I'll remember that."

Penelope rolled her eyes. She could have punished Ava for being rude again, but she had learned a long time ago to pick her battles with her daughter. And as for Ava and Derek…well, baby steps.

XXXXX

"I _really _like him," Helena said to Penelope.

Penelope continued chopping up the romaine lettuce she was working on for the salad. "I'm glad."

Helena grinned. "So…"

Penelope didn't even have to ask for clarification. "I am _not_ going to tell you how he is in bed," she said.

"Come on!" Helena begged. "I've been married for almost 20 years! And I'm not saying that your brother isn't fantastic, but—"

"Hey!" Penelope said. After dropping her knife onto the counter, she covered her ears with her hands. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," she said over and over to block out her sister in laws voice.

Helena laughed. "Fine, I won't ask again."

"Thank you," Penelope said in relief. "And…don't you dare ever talk about Preston that way again. As far as I'm concerned, you two don't even _have_ sex."

"Boy are _you_ misinformed," Helena said dryly.

Penelope rolled her eyes. "Where are the boys?" she asked.

"Football practice."

"On a Sunday?" Penelope asked. "In the spring? Isn't that a fall sport?"

Helena nodded. "Yep. But my boys want scholarships. So it's all about weights and endurance training. They're as big as giants now."

"They were _before_," Penelope said dryly as she tossed the lettuce into a colander to rinse.

XXXXX

The boys made an appearance just as they sat down to dinner. They said hello and then went up to shower before sitting down to eat, so conversation continued to flow while they waited.

"So, Aunt P., is this the man you're gonna marry?" Abby piped up.

Penelope choked on her lemonade and could feel Derek's stare. She felt the heat creep up to her cheeks and gave him a quick glance. He had a smirk on his face and was leaning back casually in his chair with a bottle of beer in his hand. And just like everyone else, he was waiting for her answer.

Apparently she took too long, because Ava's eyes widened. "Mommy," she said crossly. "_Are _you marrying…?" She looked at Derek and frowned. "_Him?" _she asked in disdain.

Penelope took another drink of her lemonade in order to collect her thoughts. She certainly couldn't be mad at Ave for _this_ display of rudeness. Abby had unknowingly goaded her, and the subject was already sensitive as it was.

Penelope wrapped her arm around her daughters' shoulders and pulled her against her side, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Honey, before I made _any_ kind of decision like that, we would talk about it first."

Ava sighed in relief, and then turned to Derek with a satisfied grin.

"So that's a no, then?" Abby pressed.

Preston laughed and Penelope had to refrain from reaching across the table and throttling him. Instead of answering her niece, she turned to Derek. "This is why I never bring anyone home to meet the family," she said sweetly.

XXXXX

After they'd finished eating and cleaning up, the adults were sitting poolside, while Abby and Ava played in the shallow end of the pool. Derek and Preston were mid-conversation when Preston abruptly turned and caught a football zooming at his head. He grinned at his son. "You gotta do better than that, Patrick," he said with a chuckle as he threw it back.

"Come on, Old Man," Parker said as he came to stand beside his twin brother. They weren't identical, but at 6'5" they _were_ the same height. "Let's have a game. You and…" He motioned his chin towards Derek. "_Him_…against us."

Preston laughed. "I don't think so," he said.

"Scared?" Parker pressed.

Preston looked at Derek. "What do you think?" he asked.

"I…think I went to college on a football scholarship," he informed Penelope's brother.

Patrick scoffed. "_Eons_ ago."

Derek and Preston jumped to their feet at the same time.

"You're on," Derek said.

Preston sneered. "And _dead_."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "_Smell_ the testosterone," she remarked dryly to her sister in law.

"Preston, take it easy on your sons," Helena warned.

"Hey, I brought them into this world—"

"And you can take us out of it," Parker and Patrick finished in unison.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Parker said. "Prove it."

Less than twenty minutes later, there was a howl of pain from the backyard.

XXXXX

"I can't _believe_ I broke your brother's knee," Derek said for the fifth time since they'd left the emergency room.

"You didn't _break_ it. You just sprained it. And…you know what? After this afternoon, _I_ think he deserved it."

Derek chuckled as he pulled to a stop in the driveway. "_Why _did he deserve it?"

Penelope frowned. "Because he _laughed_ when Abby asked if I was gonna marry you," she muttered.

He grabbed her wrist and kissed her palm. "_I_ was glad she asked the question," he informed her.

"Of course you were. You love it when I'm put on the spot."

He grinned. "I just love it when your cheeks get pink."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "I know you do—" She screeched as Derek gave her wrist a tug and pulled her upper body closer to his.

"Do you know how hard it's been for me to keep my hands off you today?" he growled as his lips fell to her neck.

"Derek," she said breathlessly. "You just _had_ me."

Derek laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, almost thirty six hours ago," he reminded her.

God, he made her feel sexy. She tipped her head back to give him more surface area to work on and gasped when his hot tongue met her skin. "Derek," she whimpered.

He lifted his hands to her shoulders and pushed her back.

"What…" she asked in protest.

"If I don't stop, I'm gonna…_take_ you in your brother's driveway. Do you want that?" he bit out.

Penelope lifted an eyebrow at him. "Kind of," she admitted.

"Oh, God, woman. You have _no_ idea what you do to me."

"You have no idea what I'd _like_ to do to you," she informed him.

Derek closed his eyes and with a sigh, rested his head on the back of his seat.

Penelope reached into her purse and pulled out a keychain with a single key on it. She reached for his hand and pressed it into his palm. "Be waiting for me when I get home," she told him.

"How long are you gonna be?" he asked.

Penelope shrugged. "I don't know. I want to say good night to Ava and read her a couple of stories. And if she's still mad at you for breaking Uncle Preston's knee…well, that's gonna be a _lot_ of damage control."

Derek chuckled. "She's a feisty little thing."

Penelope took a deep breath. "Derek, you have _no _idea."


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey," Derek said as he walked to the front door to greet Penelope. He placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "So…what's the verdict? How much does she hate me?"

Penelope laughed. "Ava doesn't hate you," she told him.

"She doesn't?"

"Don't get too excited. I don't think she likes you, either. But she's not mad about the knee injury. She _does_ feel bad that he's hurt, but the thought of Uncle Preston howling like a girl has her in stitches."

"His scream _was _quite high pitched," Derek agreed.

"I don't get it," Penelope said in confusion.

"Get what?" Derek asked as he closed the door behind her.

"How it was _you_ who caused Preston's injury? Weren't you on the same team?" she asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Derek muttered.

"But I don't—"

Derek stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, lowering his lips to hers. His tongue sought entry, and she parted her lips for him. He tasted good, just like he always did. It wasn't long before he moved to the spot behind her ear that drove her crazy. "So how did it happen?" she asked with a shiver.

All of a sudden, Derek's lips weren't on her anymore and the heat from his body was gone. "Are you _kidding_ me?" he asked in disbelief.

"What?" she asked. "So I want to know. Big deal."

"I mean…my masculine ways aren't enough to distract you? This is incredible!" he said as he stomped towards the stairs and then all the way up them.

It took everything Penelope had not to burst into laughter, but she wasn't sure if he was kidding or not, and until she knew, she didn't dare.

* * *

With a sigh, Penelope made her own way up the stairs and into her bedroom, to find Derek sitting on her bed with a frown on his face.

"You _know_ I love your lovin'," she said fiercely.

"I tripped!" he said angrily.

"What?" she asked.

"That's right!" he said as he jumped up off her bed and began to pace back and forth. "I tripped over my own two feet and went flying into your brother. And _that's_ how I sprained his knee!"

"But you…you're so agile," she said.

"Most of the time," he agreed. "And it's not…easy to admit you're a klutz when you went to college on a football scholarship."

"Oh, poor baby," she said in exaggeration. "Come here."

Instead of walking towards her, he placed a hand on his hip, his jaw ticking. It was clear he was still mad at himself for hurting Preston.

"I happen to know one place…where you are definitely _not _a klutz," she said in a husky voice.

Derek's eyes brightened and he lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah?" he asked.

She nodded. "Oh, yeah," she said as she pulled her t-shirt over her head and let it fall to the floor. And then off came the skirt, pooling at her feet. Penelope stood before him in only her bra and panties, and Derek felt his breath catch in his throat. God, he loved those curves.

She pointed to his chest. "Take your shirt off," she ordered.

Derek complied, pulling it leisurely over his head. He wanted to tear the thing off, but was afraid he might get it all tangled up with the luck he was having tonight.

"Now take off your—"

"Uh, uh, uh," Derek said as he shook his head. "_Tit_ for tat. Take off your bra."

Penelope threw her head back with a laugh, revealing the creamy white skin on her neck. Derek had to force himself to remain where he was, but when she reached behind to unbuckle her bra, her breasts thrust forward, providing him with a generous view.

He growled at the sight of her bra falling to the floor.

"Your turn, cowboy," she prompted him.

He'd had enough, so he pulled his sneakers and socks off, and followed them with a shove of his pants and boxers, not stopping until they were down to his ankles. He stepped out of them and looked up just in time to see Penelope pull her panties off.

Derek wasn't sure where all of this was coming from, but he'd never felt so content. And it wasn't just the lovemaking—although it _did_ border on explosive—he just liked _being _with her. She made him happy. And he had a feeling he was about to get a whole lot happier.

He moved to the bed, not taking his eyes off her as he sat down on the side of the mattress. She followed, coming to stand between his legs. She lowered her head down towards his, but just before their lips met, moved her head to the side and placed a soft kiss on his shoulder. He chuckled softly, and then hissed as darkness enveloped him.

"What the—" He reached for whatever it was she'd just tied over his eyes, but she grabbed his hands.

"Oh, no, no, no," she told him. "Turnabout is fair play."

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Remember that night in Boston?"

Derek laughed. "Which one? There were so many…"

"The night you tied me up," she clarified.

"You could see," he protested.

"But I couldn't move. However…_I_ am not about to go untouched by your masterful hands," she teased.

"Smart girl," he said in a low voice as he pushed himself further back onto the mattress. It was seconds before he felt it shift and Penelope was straddling him, her body resting just below his thighs. Her hands reached out to touch his chest, moving over the hard planes of his body. He started to use his hands to push himself up into a sitting position, but she moved her hands to his shoulders, holding him down. "I want to taste you," he said, his voice raspy.

"Too bad," she said in a sultry voice. "I wanted to _touch_ you that night, and you wouldn't let me. Payback's a bitch." She was going to drive him crazy. As crazy as he driven _her_. She didn't care what it took.

* * *

Penelope opened her eyes and stretched as she yawned. She woke up alone; Derek had probably left to go home and get ready for work. She sauntered out of her bedroom with the intention of getting coffee, but never made it past the room across from hers. "What are you doing?" Penelope asked as she walked up behind Derek and placed a kiss on his bare back.

"Ava doesn't strike me as the pink type," he said thoughtfully.

"She's not," Penelope said dryly. "You've met my kid. With all that drama, what would her favorite color be but red?"

"Then why the pink room?" he asked.

Penelope yawned. "That's what color it was when I bought the house. I thought it was something she and I could do together…pick out the paint and then work on the room."

"_Or _we could paint it for her as a surprise and you could decorate and shop together. Don't all girls like to shop?" Derek joked.

Penelope grinned. "You're thinking about my kid?"

He lifted an arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. "My mom is going to love her, you know."

Penelope laughed.

"Do you think this will make her like me?"

Penelope laughed. "Oh, Derek," she said with a sigh. "No."

Derek sighed. "Great. So…what _will_ it take?"

Penelope wrapped her arms around his neck. "Just keep her momma happy."

"I thought Momma _was_ happy."

"Yes. But the _trick..._is to _keep_ me there. Once she gets to know you, she'll cave. She won't have any choice but to cave." There was no doubt in Penelope's mind that he'd win her daughter over. He'd been nothing but genuine since she'd arrived at Quantico, and the fact of the matter was, Derek could charm the opposite sex—it didn't matter if they were four or forty.

"By the way, thanks for the ride last night, Stallion," she whispered huskily.

Derek grinned. "Anytime, Cowgirl."


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's Note: Thanks so much for taking the time to review the last chapter. It's very much appreciated! Also, this chapter is a bit sappy because I was listening to Christmas music while I was writing it, so read at your own risk! LOL_

_FYI—I have a poll up on my profile asking which 'clichéd' storyline you'd like to read and with which couple. If the storyline/couple you'd like to see doesn't appear there, please feel free to PM me with what you'd be interested in seeing! Some that have been mentioned to me outside of the poll are lacunar amnesia (for Derek w/ a Morgan/Garcia pairing) and a drunken Vegas wedding for Garcia/Morgan. I'm interested in knowing what you'd like to read! Thanks. - Angie_

Penelope walked into the BAU and her eyes immediately found Derek. Of course he'd beat her to the office. He looked up and she gave him a teasing smirk—they'd managed to get a hurried lovemaking session in before he'd left to get ready for work—and his eyes locked on hers, a sexy grin spreading across his handsome features.

Penelope felt that over the weekend something had shifted in their relationship. He knew that she had a daughter, and he hadn't freaked out. He'd been angry that she'd lied to him, but she couldn't blame him for that. She was sure that if their roles had been reversed, she wouldn't have handled it as well, not with her affinity for drama. In fact, there was a very good chance that a grudge would have been involved. She made her way to her office, her mind working all the while.

But she shouldn't have been surprised. Ever since she'd arrived at Quantico, Derek had been nothing less than thrilled, and his feelings hadn't diminished during their weeks together. Penelope had never felt so…_adored_ in all of her life. If he wasn't away on a case, he wanted to be with _her_. Whether they were eating dinner together or having a steamy romantic encounter, they never stopped enjoying each other's company.

* * *

Derek couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd felt so content. He loved _everything_ about Penelope Garcia… the way her face lit up when she saw him, the way she was always smiling, the way she was with Ava, the way she was with _him_…the list was endless. Granted, he hadn't seen her much with Ava, but that would change once the little girl finally came to live in her new house. He sighed as he watched her walk to her office, his eyes glued to the sway of her hips. Yep. Life was good.

* * *

Penelope was surprised when she pulled into her driveway and saw Derek's vehicle parked there. He'd left work early and then sent her a text saying he'd see her later, but she hadn't realized he'd be waiting for her when she got home.

She jumped out of her vehicle and hurried inside, anxious to see what he had in store for her. She dropped her keys by the door; there was nothing in the living room, so she went into the kitchen, and there was nothing there, either. With a grin, she headed for the back stairs. If she was a lucky woman, he'd be waiting for her in her bed. She frowned as she walked into her room. She wasn't that lucky. "Derek?" she called.

"In here," she heard him say.

She walked into the room that would soon belong to her daughter and looked around. Derek had covered everything with a drop cloth and there were two gallons of paint in the middle of the floor along with the necessary items he'd need to paint the room. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Getting ready to paint," he replied. "Do you want to help?"

She leaned against the doorway. "You know, when I pulled up, I was expecting a candlelit dinner or something," she told him.

He lifted his lips in a grin. "Oh, we can definitely start a fire," he teased as he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Penelope laughed as he walked towards her. He lowered his head to nuzzle her neck, causing her to shiver. "Or at the very least, _you_ in the middle of my bed naked."

"Definitely later," he said as he pulled away. "But I'd like to get this done now in case I get called away."

"How did you even get in?" she asked as he headed for the paint cans.

"I broke in," he explained as he used a screw driver to get the top off one of them.

Penelope cleared her throat. "Is that something that perhaps I should get fixed?" she asked in amusement.

"Nah," he answered. "Clooney and I will be here soon enough to protect you." Derek was so nonchalant about working his way into her life, as if he belonged there. And Penelope loved it. For someone who really hadn't been a consistent fixture in her life for very long, he'd become a significant one.

"Unless of course Ava is 'allergict' to him," he said dryly.

Penelope laughed at his comment. "She is _not_ 'allergict' to dogs," she informed him. But her laughter died on her lips as she took in the sight before her.

Derek was wearing a pair of ratty old jeans that already had paint stains on them, along with a dark blue Northwestern University t-shirt, the logo on it faded from lots of wear, and a pair of white socks. The picture of him standing there in her daughters' bedroom, getting ready to spend his free time—which was a luxury for _anyone_ in the BAU—turning it into something that she was going to love touched Penelope. Outside of her family, no one had ever really helped her take care of her daughter, and the fact that _he_ wanted to was suddenly overwhelming.

He looked up to find her studying him and grinned. "Do you want to see what color I got?" he asked.

She nodded and walked over to him wordlessly, waiting as he pulled the top off. "It's Candy Apple Red," he said proudly, and rightfully so. Penelope couldn't have picked out a better color herself—the shade of red was vibrant, just like her daughter's personality. Ava was going to love it.

When she didn't say anything, he lifted his eyes to hers, struck by the intensity. He immediately straightened. "Penelope?"

She lifted her arms up around his neck and pressed her lips to his in a tender kiss. It wasn't passionate, but there was a torrent of feeling behind it.

"Whoa," he said when she pulled away, lifting his hands to her wrists to hold her in place. "What was _that_ for?"

She stared at him unblinking. "When I told you I loved you the other night…I meant it, but… I didn't know how _much_ I meant it. But right now…right now I _know_," she said softly.

He smiled gently at her. "I love you, too, Baby Girl."

* * *

"It looks _so_ good," Penelope said as she looked around. "I didn't think the red would cover up the pink very well. How did you get it to come out _so_ good?"

"I spent a few summers painting with a contractor while I was in high school," he explained as he used the hammer to pound the cover back onto the paint can.

"Well, lucky for _us_," she said appreciatively. "I love it, Derek. It's perfect."

"No," he said, as he spun her around to face him. "_You're_ perfect." She hadn't even heard him walk up behind her.

She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Are you hungry?" she asked. It was nearly nine o'clock and they hadn't had supper yet.

"Famished," he answered, his eyes falling to her lips. "Just…_famished_."

His lips found hers and he kissed her so forcefully that Penelope was sure her lips were going to be swollen come morning. She wanted him so badly that there was no time for foreplay. She reached for the hem of his t-shirt—they broke their kiss just long enough so she could pull it over his head—and he reached for her face, pulling it right back to his. She reached down for the snap on the jeans she'd put on to paint in, and dragged herself away from him so she could get out of them. He seized the opportunity as well, getting rid of his own. She pulled her t-shirt over her head, then shed her panties and bra. They were standing there unclothed, and Penelope stepped forward, wrapping her hand around his length. He inhaled sharply from her touch. "Oh, God, Derek Morgan," she breathed as she began moving her fist around him. "I want that _right_ now."

"It's all yours," he said raggedly. "Are you ready for me?"

She nodded and they made their way to the floor. He positioned himself between her thighs, and his lips met hers at the same time that he plunged inside of her, muffling her pleasured cry.

There was no build-up—Derek couldn't have started off slowly if he'd wanted to—his pace was quick and hard as he slammed into her. She met each thrust with a fervent lift of her hips, lifting her hands to his shoulders. Her fingernails dug into his skin and he heard her whimper as her body tightened around his. He pulled his lips from hers, his breathing ragged as his body found its own release. He dropped his lips to her shoulder, showering the area with soft kisses as she lay beneath him, breathing heavily from her climax. "Oh, God. Derek!" she shrieked.

"What?" he asked, his head flying up as he looked around for fire or something else worthy of her tone.

"We just had _sex_ in my kids' room!" she said in mortification, squirming as she tried to get out from underneath him—all it was doing was making him hard again. "I am such a horrible mother!" she exclaimed.

"No, you're a _sexy_ mutha," he argued.

"Isn't there some kind of a law about this?" she asked frantically. "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME UP?"

Derek pretended to think about it…and then answered the least important of the two questions.

"Mmm…nope. The only law I recall is the one where it says you _must_ christen each room in the house within the first year of moving in. It's actually my favorite law of all time," he teased.

She finally relaxed beneath him, having realized he wasn't going to let her move. "Thank _God_ you used a drop cloth," she said with a relieved sigh.


	15. Chapter 15

_Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter. You guys are the best! =)_

"Do I look OK?" Derek asked as he opened the door on Penelope's side of the vehicle.

She laughed at the absurdity of the question. He always looked more than OK. "We're having dinner with my kid," she reminded him. Penelope had thought another try with Ava and Derek was a good idea. If they didn't hit it off, Penelope was really going to have to do some fancy footwork when Ava moved home in order to accommodate them both. "She's not going to care what you look like."

"Yes," he said, pulling her close. "But I want to know that _you _like what you see."

"Darlin'," she said as she leaned so far into him that her heels rose off the ground, "it's what's _underneath_ your clothes that _I _like," she informed him in a throaty voice as her fists grabbed the fabric of his shirt.

Derek groaned. "Do _not_ make me sit through this dinner with a hard on," he warned.

She smiled sweetly at him and stepped closer, lifting a foot off the ground in order to gently rub her knee between his legs. He yelped in surprise and jumped back. "Dammitt, Penelope! Ava could walk out here any second!"

Penelope threw her head back in laughter. "She'd have to run around the vehicle before she could even see us."

"Yes," he growled. "But then she'd be able to see what _I_ just did."

Penelope gave him a confused look. "What did you just do?" she asked.

He lowered his gaze to the area between his legs, and hers followed, then she burst into a fit of giggles.

He lifted his eyebrows at her. "You think this is funny? Because if you think it's so entertaining, I could get the girls high beams on."

Penelope's laughter only increased. When she finally got a grip on herself, she leaned forward and kissed him on the neck. "Football," she whispered, then kissed him again, this time letting her hot tongue taste his skin. "Wrestling," she said, then pulled her lips away from his neck. "Spencer Reid."

Derek groaned again. "Now I just want to fuck you even more," he informed her.

Penelope quirked a brow at him. "Spencer Reid turns you on?" she asked in amusement.

"No, but the heat radiating from those damn lips of yours does," he informed her, his eyes falling to the topic of conversation.

"Don't damn my lips," she said, leisurely running her tongue across her upper lip.

Derek winced.

"So…if I'm across the dinner table from you, and I pucker up, then you'll…_what_ exactly will you do?" she teased with a sexy grin.

"Don't you dare," he said, his tone bordering on panicked.

It was an exhilarating feeling…knowing she could turn him on with a single look. To her knowledge, she'd never affected another man that way. And she never wanted to.

* * *

"Mommy, why do you have to take some of my stuff with you?" Ava asked as Penelope put a few of her daughters' things into boxes later that evening.

"Because this way when we move you in seven days…" Penelope squealed. "Just seven days, baby, and then you'll be with _me_ again."

Ava beamed at her mother.

"When we move you in seven days, we won't have as much to take with us," Penelope explained to her daughter.

"But I don't mind if we take it all in one day," Ava said.

Penelope grinned as she ruffled Ava's blonde curls. "Of course you don't," she said. "Because _you_ won't be carrying anything." She looked up at the knock on the doorframe and smiled. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," Derek returned, and then looked at Ava. "Is this _your_ room?" he asked her.

She nodded in answer.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"I guess so," she muttered, pulling her unicorn pillow pal onto her lap so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"It's nice," he said.

She shrugged. "My mommy said that my room at my new house is gonna be red," she told him, wrinkling her nose. "Not that gross pink that it was the last time I saw it."

Penelope cleared her throat. "Honey, Derek knows what color your room is because he helped me paint it." Actually, he'd done the majority of the painting, but she didn't think that would matter to her daughter.

Ava's eyes flew to his and he smiled at her.

"You got to see my room before _I_ did?" she asked crossly. "What were you doing at my house?"

"Well," he said awkwardly as flashes of Penelope beneath him on the drop cloth flashed through his mind, "I—"

"Honey, Derek was visiting me," she answered for him.

"Will he still have to visit when I come home?" she asked.

"Remember how much we love company," Penelope prompted her daughter.

Ava lifted her eyes to his; it was clear she was challenging him. "_Only_ if they like tea parties," she announced.

"I _love_ tea parties," Derek said, his lips twitching.

"Do you like shiny bead necklaces?" she asked.

"They're my favorite," he told her without missing a beat.

She sighed. "Well, then I guess you can come over," she said reluctantly.

Penelope bit back a grin at the exchange and then looked at Derek. "Did you need something or did you come to visit us?" she asked in a tone that was much more pleasant than her daughters. He'd been in the living room with Preston, Helena, and the kids engaged in conversation when she and Ava had disappeared upstairs.

"Both," he answered. "Is there any dental floss?" They'd had steak for dinner, and he had a piece stuck between his back molars that was driving him crazy.

She nodded. "I'll show you."

"Mommy," Ava said as she jumped off the bed. "Can I go downstairs to find Abby?"

"Of course you can, Sweetie," Penelope answered.

Ava started to run from the room, then came to a halt. "Don't take Misty, OK?" she asked.

Misty was the unicorn pillow pal. They'd originally named her Mystical, but Ava had decided that it was too much to say and had shortened it to Misty.

"I promise I will _not_ take Misty," Penelope said sincerely.

Ava gave her a lopsided grin, then ran back to the bed and grabbed her pillow pal. "I'll just take her with me," she said, then headed downstairs.

Penelope gave Derek a sheepish grin. "She'll warm up to you," she assured him.

Derek smirked back at her. "It seems it's just going to take a little while," he decided.

Penelope laughed. "Yeah," she agreed.

"Dental floss?" he prompted.

"This way," she said, walking past him to leave the room. He followed her into the bathroom, reveling in the sexy sway of her hips, and she opened the medicine cabinet to find the floss for him. She handed it to him and when he got what he needed, she walked to the bathroom door and closed it, then locked it.

"What are you doing?" he asked. But the look in his eyes told her that he already had some idea.

She gave him a sultry grin. "Something I've wanted to do all night long, Cowboy," she admitted in a low tone.

He swallowed past the lump of need in his throat, his eyes darkening with desire. "And that is…?"

Without a word, she walked towards him and reached for the button on his jeans. In no time, she had them down over his thighs, along with his boxer briefs, and was on her knees in front of him. He'd already grown hard in anticipation.

"Oh, God," he said as her wet lips touched the tip of his length. He lifted his hands so they tangled in her blonde locks just as her tongue darted out to taste him. He thrust his hips forward, and she opened her mouth, taking as much of him as she could. It wasn't all of him, but it wouldn't be the first time she'd gotten this job done.

She lifted her hands to the backs of his knees and trailed a path across his skin until they were resting on the outside of his muscled thighs. She felt him shudder underneath her touch and pulled her mouth from him, using only her tongue to trace a path from base to tip of his arousal, concentrating on the skin beneath. She would have liked to have drawn it out, but her family _was_ downstairs in the living room, so she took him in her mouth once again and started sucking hard. She pulled her hands up so they were resting on his chiseled abs.

"Oh, God, Penelope," he hissed; letting go of her hair so he could grab the sink to steady himself.

She moaned softly at the first taste of him, swallowing hastily to keep up with his release. When he was finished, she stood with a sigh and straightened her shirt. "Well…_that _was fun," she said in a hoarse whisper.

Derek grabbed his pants and pulled them up. "For _me_," he said with a satisfied grin.

She lifted an eyebrow at him. "Trust me, Cowboy. It was fun for me, too."

Derek chuckled as he pulled her against him. He lowered his lips to hers in a sound kiss. "Thank you doesn't seem all that appropriate," he joked.

She cleared her throat. "Well, then, how about…'your turn later.'"

"Now_ that_ seems appropriate," he agreed.

"Good," she said, twisting out of his arms. She turned to the sink and grabbed her toothbrush, she'd had one at her brother's for as long as she could remember, but Derek grabbed her wrist.

"You don't like the way I taste?" he asked in amusement.

She laughed throatily. "Oh, I _love_ the way you taste. But I can't kiss my daughter goodbye with this mouth."

* * *

Penelope was carrying another box out to Derek's vehicle when she heard Ava talking to him.

"We have our _own_ car you know," she informed him brusquely. "But it's very nice of you to let us use yours," she added when she saw her mother.

"Good manners, Baby," Penelope said, choosing to ignore the first part of her daughter's statement. Positive reinforcement and all that…


	16. Chapter 16

_Thanks so much for the review for last chapter! Here's another...enjoy! - Angie_

It was unusual for Penelope not to hear from Derek after work, especially on a Friday night when she wasn't going to have Ava. Preston had called yesterday and asked if Ava could spend the night since she was moving with Penelope on Tuesday and she'd agreed; she was sure the separation was going to be as hard on Abby as it was going to be on Ava, and she was up for anything that would make it easier on both of the girls. She picked up her cell phone to call Derek, but then she got a better idea, and with a grin, she tossed it back onto the counter. ****** Derek opened the door and grinned when he saw Penelope standing there. "Hey, gorgeous," he said, as he leaned down to greet her with a soft kiss.

She looked him up and down as he pulled away. "You look so handsome," she said. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a maroon t-shirt with a team logo on it. No one did jeans like Derek Morgan did jeans.

He threw a grin over his shoulder as he walked over to the closet in the living room and started rummaging around the bottom. "Thanks," he said. "Do you think it will impress my date?"

"I didn't realize we had a date tonight," she said with a frown.

"Not you," Derek said, straightening with a sneaker in each hand.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"Didn't Preston call you?" he asked as he sat down on the couch and pulled one of the sneakers on.

Penelope nodded. "Yeah. He asked if he could keep Ava tonight," she told him.

"He didn't tell you that we have a date?"

Penelope laughed. "You have a date with my brother?"

Derek rolled his eyes. "No. I have a date with your daughter. We're double dating with Preston and Abby," he told her.

"You are?" she asked in surprise.

"Yes," Derek said as he laced up the second sneaker. "Your brother called because he seems to think that if Ava thinks him and I buddies, she'll like me. So they're doing the whole 'Daddy Date' and I'm invited."

Penelope sighed. "I hope she warms up to you soon," she said.

"Yeah, me, too," Derek agreed. "Maybe we should tell her that I'm her only chance for a brother or sister."

Penelope lifted a brow in amusement. "You think I can't get another man?" she teased.

"Oh, Darlin," he said. "There's no doubt in my mind that you _could_. But I'd drive him away. I'd stalk the hell out of the bastard…eggs in the gas tank and the whole nine yards. He would curse the day he ever met Penelope Garcia," he said in a low growl.

Penelope giggled. "My, you're territorial," she said.

"Yep," he said simply. "Every delectable inch of that body belongs to _me_. Lord help the man who tries to help himself to it." He was half way across the room, and Penelope still saw the change in his eyes as he looked her up and down. "Woman, why in the _hell _are you wearing a trench coat in this heat?" he demanded as he stalked forward.

"I—"

He'd reached her before she could say another word and ripped her coat open, his jaw dropping at the sight beneath. "Look at all of those delectable inches," he said, his eyes roving over her skin.

She was wearing a bright blue push-up bra with silver encrusted specks along the edges and a pair of matching low rise panties, the same silver specks sprinkled across the waistband.

"I see _you_ had plans tonight," he said huskily as his head dipped to the valley between her breasts. His tongue dashed out to tease her skin, and she thrust her chest forward in anticipation. While his tongue taunted her body, she lifted her hands to her chest, using her thumbs to stroke her nipples through the blue fabric. Derek lifted his head and stood there, mesmerized as she entertained herself.

"Sweet Lord," he bit out, when he couldn't take it anymore. He shoved the fabric between her legs to the side and thrust two fingers inside of her. When he realized how wet she was, he plunged a third one in, and her hands lifted to grip his shoulders so she could support herself. She wrapped one leg around his waist, and her hips moved with his fingers as they were sinking smoothly in and then out of her.

"Oh, God," she groaned; he'd stopped plunging his fingers back and forth, instead running them along her inner wall in a come hither motion. He'd found that spot…the one that drove her absolutely insane with bliss. Within seconds, Penelope felt her body stiffen even as her legs turned to jelly, and when Derek used his other hand to work her core, she cried out his name, her body instantly reaching its climax. The leg around his waist tightened as her fingers dug into his shoulders, and Derek wrapped an arm around her waist to help her stand as her leg straightened.

"My, _God_," she said breathlessly as she stepped back.

Derek lifted his gaze to hers, and their eyes locked as he brought his hand to his mouth, his tongue running over the fingers that had just been inside of her. "Darlin…you are finger lickin' good," he informed her.

She laughed in disbelief; he really was shameless.

With a wink, he grabbed his hoodie off the hook and sprinted out the front door, leaving her standing there still dazed with passion.

Suddenly, the door flew open again and he peeked his head in. "If you were waiting in my bed when I got home tonight, it wouldn't be the _worst_ thing in the world."

* * *

Derek thought the date was going rather well. He, Preston, and the girls had gone out to eat at a Chinese restaurant—both of the girls had declared that Chinese was their favorite (last time, Preston had told him, Italian had been their favorite)—and then they'd gone miniature golfing and go-carting. Ava had insisted on riding with her Uncle Preston, leaving Abby to ride with Derek, and Ava hadn't been too pleased when Derek and Abby had beaten them to the finish line.

He'd thought the night was over, but Abby had informed him otherwise. "We still need to go to the batting cages," she told him, pointing a finger to a building about thirty feet away. "They're right over there. My daddy says that since this isn't a _typical_ date and he can't unwind the _typical_ way, he needs to unwind by hitting his balls," she said innocently. "It's our job to cheer for him. I'll cheer for my daddy, and Ava can cheer for you."

Derek had to hold back a chuckle at her statement.

Ava reluctantly started to cheer for Derek, but when she'd heard the bat crack on the first pitch, she'd screeched so loud it had alarmed him. "Uncle Preston _never_ hits it on the first try!" she shrieked as she started jumping up and down in excitement. Derek took that as a good sign.

But when he lifted her out of the back after she'd fallen asleep on the ride home and she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, he knew it had been a success.


	17. Chapter 17

_Author's Note: This isn't a very action-packed chapter, but it's purpose is to establish where Ava and Derek are at in their 'friendship.' As always, thanks for reading! - Angie_

Ava had definitely warmed up to Derek. It had helped that Preston had spent the entire evening leading up to their 'Daddy Date' singing his praises and Penelope couldn't be more thankful for that. In fact, when she had shown up at her brother's house on Saturday morning, Ava had peeked out the front door and demanded to know where Derek was before Penelope had even gotten a hello.

He hadn't been with her, but Ava had been insistent that he visit, so he'd come for dinner and ended up staying in the guest room with Penelope. She certainly wouldn't be doing _that_ again; she swore it was his goal to get her screaming so loud that she woke everyone in the house up…and there were a few times he'd almost succeeded.

He left Sunday afternoon and Penelope wasn't sure when she was going to see him again. She'd taken that week off because she was moving Ava home, and then they had the task of finding a daycare. She'd narrowed it down to three, but she wanted Ava to visit each one to see if she had a preference. And knowing her daughter, she _would_.

"Mommy, where's Esther?" Ava asked, looking around as Penelope loaded the first box in the back of Derek's SUV.

"Derek took her home with him so we could use _his_ vehicle," she answered.

"Why are we using his truck?" she asked.

"It's an SUV, Honey, and we're using John—" Penelope stopped herself before finishing the name. Derek had named _his_ vehicle Johnson, a name _very_ unfit to share with her daughter, especially since Johnson's first name was Big. And Penelope had no intention of explaining _that_ one to her daughter. "We're using it because it's going to hold more boxes than Esther would, so with Uncle Preston bringing his trailer with your bed and other furniture, we'll only have to make one trip," she explained.

Ava nodded thoughtfully. "Good idea, Mommy."

* * *

They'd arrived home, and after Preston had helped Penelope carry the furniture up to Ava's room, he'd stayed for lunch and then left. Ava absolutely loved her new red bedroom, and was eager to help her mother set it up. But that had lasted for all of thirty minutes before she'd declared that she was bored, and then she'd gone downstairs into the living room to color.

"Mommy!" Ava said as she came running into her bedroom a little while later.

"What?" Penelope asked, turning towards the doorway.

"Our house is really, really big, and I was just looking out the glass door in the kitchen, and I think we have enough room for a dog!" she said excitedly. "Mommy, can we get a dog?"

Penelope sighed. This was going to be a fight. "Ave, a dog is a _really_ big responsibility. We'd have to walk it, train it, feed it, and water it—"

"But Mommy, _I _could do all those things!" she said.

"Like you're helping me get your room together?" she said doubtfully.

"But, Mommy, taking care of a dog would be _fun_! Cleaning is _not_ fun," she argued.

"Ava, that's a really big decision. It's something I'm going to have to think about," Penelope informed her daughter.

"Will you know by supper?" Ava persisted.

Penelope laughed as she put her hands on her hips. "No, Little Miss. I will _not_ know by supper."

Ava sighed angrily. "You _never_ let me have a dog!" she muttered as she stomped from the room.

Penelope rolled her eyes. Her daughter's good behavior had lasted for all of two hours. The little spitfire was back.

The truth was, things with Derek were moving along swiftly, and there was no doubt in her mind that once Ava was used to him, he was going to want to move in. With Clooney tagging along. And while she loved dogs, more than one would just be too much. There were days when she could barely keep up with Ava. So until Derek moved in, her daughter was just going to have to make do with her pound puppy.

It wasn't long before she returned again, more mellow this time. _Was every little girl this dramatic?_ Penelope wondered, or had she just gotten extremely lucky.

"Mommy, did you know Derek has a dog?" she asked.

Penelope nodded her head. "Yes. His name is Clooney," she informed her daughter as she tucked the princess sheets under the mattress.

"Have you _met_ Clooney?" Ava asked.

"I have," Penelope answered.

"Well, when do _I_ get to meet Clooney?" she asked.

"When do you want to meet Clooney?"

"Today would be pretty good," she said.

"Derek is out of town, and we still have some unpacking to do," Penelope reminded her daughter. "So it's not going to be today. But when Derek gets home, I'll tell him that you want to meet Clooney, OK?"

Ava nodded, and then fled the room once again.

* * *

She didn't usually let Ava sleep with her, but because this was a new house and she wasn't used to it, Penelope hadn't had the heart to say no when her daughter had come into her room shortly after bedtime and asked if she could sleep with her. But in true Ava fashion, she was spread out on the bed, and Penelope was practically teetering on the edge of the mattress. When her phone beeped to indicate she had a text message, it jumped her and she almost fell off the bed. She sat up and grabbed her phone from the night stand; she hadn't heard from Derek all day, which was unusual so she was anxious to hear from him.

She touched her screen and the message lit up. _Hey, Baby Girl. You up?_

_Yes. My kid is hogging my bed and I can't fall asleep._

_Oh, Darlin'. I can think of a thousand different ways to help you fall asleep._

Penelope's heart melted as she read his words and she smiled. God, she missed him. _I'll bet you can._

_Of course, they all involve a certain amount of strenuous activity on __**my**__ part._

She laughed at that. _When are you coming home? _She could hardly wait to see him again.

_Getting ready to board the jet right now._

_Good. Ava wants to meet Clooney._

_Funny, he's been asking about her, too._

_LOL Tomorrow night?_

_Is there a sleepover involved?_

_Always._

_Then definitely._

_I might have to sneak you in after the warden is asleep…but I'll see you then. _

_Night, Baby Girl._

_Night, Handsome._

Penelope sighed as she put her phone down; she felt a hundred times better. And after that, she found sleep swiftly.

* * *

"This is where you work?" Ava asked as she skipped alongside her mother the next day.

"Yes," Penelope answered.

"And Derek works here, too?"

"He sure does," she said as she scanned her badge to get through security. They headed to the elevator and Penelope hit the appropriate button.

"Is he here now?" she asked.

"He _is_ here now, Honey, but he might be busy. If he is we might not get a chance to see him, OK?"

Ava nodded solemnly. "OK," she agreed.

But when the doors slid open, he was walking past the elevator. "Derek!" Ava said.

He turned around in surprise and then grinned widely. "Hi, Ava," he said as she rushed up to him.

"Me and Mommy brought you lunch," she said pulling the white take out box from Penelope's hands and passing it to him.

"Thanks," he said sincerely as he opened the box. "Mmm…chicken alfredo. My favorite. Are you gonna have lunch with me?"

Ava wrinkled her nose as she shook her head. "I'll sit with you, but I don't like white cheese on my macaroni. Only yellow."

Derek laughed. "OK, then. We're going this way," he said as he motioned towards the doors. Ava preceded him, but she wasn't strong enough to get the door open; he had to help her.

"Hey, you," Derek said huskily when she was a few steps ahead of them out of earshot.

Penelope grinned at him. "Hey, back."

"This isn't the best place for a homecoming," he said. huskily.

Penelope cleared her throat. "Yes, well, we've never been very good at keeping our hands to ourselves," she said.

"Or our lips," he reminded her.

Ava came to a stop in front of them. "Derek, are you spending the night tonight like you did at Uncle Preston's?" she asked.

"Umm…" This kid had a way of catching him off guard, and he wasn't sure _what_ he should say; he wasn't sure what Penelope was comfortable with.

Penelope cleared her throat. "There's a…possibility that Derek might spend the night at our house sometime," she answered evasively.

Ava nodded. "Well, when he does, can Clooney come, too, Mommy? Please?" she asked. "He shouldn't have to spend the night alone!"

Penelope nodded. "I…think that's a great idea," she agreed.

Ava grinned. "Which way is the kitchen again?" she asked.

Derek pointed and she took off ahead of them again. "In a weird way, I think she just gave us her blessing," he said, taken aback.

"Ssshh!" Penelope said urgently. "She could take it back any moment!"

Derek grinned at her. "You know what this means…"

Penelope frowned. "What?"

"Momma's gettin' _lucky_ tonight," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Penelope couldn't help but think she already _was_.


	18. Chapter 18

_FYI—I have a poll up on my profile asking which 'clichéd' storyline you'd like to read and with which couple. If the storyline/couple you'd like to see doesn't appear there, please feel free to PM me with what you'd be interested in seeing! Some that have been mentioned to me outside of the poll are lacunar amnesia (for Derek w/ a Morgan/Garcia pairing) and a drunken Vegas wedding for Garcia/Morgan. I'm interested in knowing what you'd like to read!_

_Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter! I hope you enjoy this one as well! - Angie_

Ava and Derek had finally bonded. She hardly left his side and as long as Clooney was with him, she always seemed to think that it would be 'a super good idea' if he stayed the night. She'd even gone so far as to tell Penelope that she didn't need a dog anymore because they had Clooney.

And she hated it when he was on the road; just like she hadn't liked sharing her mother with Derek, now she didn't like sharing Derek with anyone. It had been just a little over a month since Ava had moved back in with her mother and Derek had practically moved in at the same time, or he might as well have. He never stayed at his own place anymore.

Ava seemed to be adjusting well, and Penelope thought things were going along smoothly, but he kept mentioning marriage. And it wasn't that she was opposed to it; she just wanted to give it a little more time. She still had lingering trust issues; the only other man she'd ever lived with had been Ava's father, and that hadn't been so much as a living arrangement as it had been a 'convenience' for him. She just hadn't known it at the time.

But Derek hadn't been kidding—he was all in. So far in, in fact, that when his mother had called and asked if she could come visit him, he hadn't even discussed it with Penelope; he'd just told her that she was welcome to stay with them. It had been awkward for Penelope at first…she'd never 'met the parents.' But Fran had immediately made her feel comfortable and Derek's prediction the very first time he'd met Ava had been correct—Fran had fallen immediately in love with the little girl. And thankfully, Ava's reception of his mother had been much better than the one _he'd_ received. After her first two days there, Fran had asked Penelope if she'd mind if she kept Ava home for the next few days while she'd been at work instead of bringing her to daycare, and Ava had been thrilled with the idea.

They'd become close in the short five days she was here, and now that she was leaving in a little while for the airport, Ava was upset. Penelope had a laundry basket on the couch and was folding a load of Ava's clothes when the little girl walked in and sighed heavily as she plopped down onto the couch. "You OK, Babe?" she asked.

Ava put her elbows on her little legs and lowered her chin down onto her hands. "Mommy, if you marry Derek will I have a Grammie? Like Abby does?"

Penelope's head was suddenly swimming. Had Derek mentioned something to Ava about them getting married? "Yes, sweetie, you would have a Grammie like Abby does," she answered.

Ava's eyes brightened. "Frannie would be my Grammie!" she concluded. "Does that mean we could go to her house for Christmas?"

Penelope winced at the question. Preston and Helena were great, and they always tried to include her and Ava in their celebrations, but they had their extended family on Helena's side, too. Penelope thought it would be unfair of her to monopolize their holidays, so she and Ava had always spent them alone. And she wasn't sure of Derek's family's holiday traditions. For all she knew, he spent Christmas at his own home every year. She cleared her throat as she shrugged. "I'm not sure about that, Honey."

"But…do you think that Frannie cooks on Christmas day? A turkey and everything?" she persisted.

"Ava—"

"I _do_ cook a big turkey every year on Christmas!" Fran announced as she breezed into the room.

Ava grinned as she hopped down off the couch. "I _love_ turkey!" she informed Fran.

"Well," Fran said as she lifted the little girl into her arms. "We'll have to see what we can do about that, won't we?"

* * *

After seeing Fran off at the airport, they'd headed for home. Ava had fallen asleep in the back, so Derek had carried her up to her bedroom and Penelope had changed her into her pajamas and tucked her into bed. She'd then gone into her own bedroom in search of Derek, but he was nowhere to be found, so she practically flew down the stairs to look for him. He was on the couch watching a football game, his feet propped up on the coffee table. She snagged the remote from the arm of the couch and turned the television off.

"I was watching that," he informed her, then looked her up and down. "But…if you have something _else_ in mind…" He let his voice trail off.

"Have you said anything to Ava about us getting married?" she asked heatedly.

Derek frowned. "Of course not. I wouldn't do that without asking you first. Why?"

"Because she asked me if your mother would be her Grammie if we got married," she told him.

Derek gave her a lazy grin. "Glad to see the kid is on our side," he said.

Penelope sighed. "Maybe you should sleep at your own place tonight," she said quietly.

Derek stood and walked towards her. "No can do," he argued.

"Why not?" she pressed.

His eyes softened as he looked down at her. "Because you're not there."

Penelope rubbed her forehead with her hand. "How come you always know just what to say?" she asked miserably.

"Because I know _you_," he told her as he wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped a kiss on her lips.

"Derek—" she said urgently. He was trying to distract her; it wasn't going to work.

"We're not arguing tonight, Baby Girl," he told her.

"But—" Penelope let out a yelp as her feet left the floor, Derek's shoulder hitting her midsection. "What are you doing?" she screeched.

He slapped her on the ass as he strode for the stairs. "Having my wicked way with you."

She used her fists to pound on his back. "Put me down," she demanded.

"When I'm good and ready, Darlin'," he said, making his way up the stairs as if she was light as a feather.

He walked through her bedroom door straight to her bed and tossed her hastily down onto the mattress before turning around to lock the door. He spun to face her once again.

"Derek…"

Her voice trailed off as he reached up, grabbed the back collar of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head in one swift move. There was something about the whole thing that was so incredibly masculine, and whatever it was she'd been about to say was forgotten.

The rest of his clothes were gone in a flash, and he approached the bed with a predatory gleam in his eyes. She drank in the sight of him…his broad chest, those chiseled abs…his muscular thighs. She couldn't help but think that all men should be jealous of that body. And all women, for that matter, should be jealous of _her_. Because he was going to be hers in just a few moments. Her body hummed in anticipation at the thought…sweet Lord, he didn't even have to touch her. Just the sight of him naked was foreplay enough for her.

Her breathing became shallow, and she licked her bottom lip as he came to tower over her. He lowered his lips to hers, his tongue propelling forth searching for hers. She lifted herself up onto her knees and pressed her upper body into his. His hands found the backs of her legs, moving slowly upwards until they were resting on the bare skin of her outer thighs. He pulled her against him, and his erection pushed against her stomach.

Heat flashed through Penelope's lower body, and she pulled away from him, her breathing ragged. His hands reached for the buttons on her shirt and before she knew it, the garment was gone. She fumbled with the snap on the front of her bra; when she finally got it, Derek pushed the straps down over her shoulders and lowered his head to her breast, his lips closing over her nipple and sucking hard while the fingers on his other hand teased the second one. She could feel the moistness between her thighs and cried out his name when he switched, his lips closing over the other taut peak for more of her.

One of her hands lifted to the back of his head as the other reached down for his arousal. He tore his mouth from hers with a hiss, and she grinned at him, her gaze locking with his as she moved her hand up and down his length. "Penelope, I want to be inside of you so fuckin' bad I'm about to explode," he told her.

She pulled her hand away and arched a brow. "I get to be on top," she said.

His lips lifted in a grin of his own as made his way onto his back on the mattress. "Baby Girl," he said huskily, "be my guest."

* * *

OK, Penelope thought later that night. So she'd let him distract her. But really…was there any wonder? The man knew just what to do to get her mind onto other things. She'd forgotten what she was even upset about in the first place.

With a sigh, she threw the sheet back and carefully made her way off the bed. She padded down into the kitchen for a drink of water, studying the calendar on the fridge as she swallowed. Her eyes widened as she looked at the date, and she started to choke. "Fuck," she whispered. She was two weeks late.


	19. Chapter 19

_A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews for last chapter! - Angie_

Penelope paced feverishly back and forth across her brother's kitchen. She'd been restless most of the night, and hadn't awoken until Ava had bounced exuberantly up onto her bed. It was Saturday morning, and per his usual routine, Derek had gone to the gym. After they'd washed up, Penelope had quickly dressed herself and her daughter and then hopped into her car. Penelope had been an incredibly irresponsible mother this morning; she'd stopped at a coffee shop and gotten Ava a box of munchkins and a chocolate milk and then high-tailed it to D.C. to her brother's house. But not before stopping at a drug store on the way.

It was these events that led to her present condition. "I swear to God, Helena, if there is a _vertical _line on that stick—"

"You mean a plus sign?" her sister in law asked amused.

"How in the hell could this happen?" she asked, thankful her daughter wasn't around to witness her state of mind. Preston had taken the kids out to a breakfast buffet, much to Penelope's relief. She'd conned Helena into staying behind with her.

"Calm down, Penny. We don't know yet that anything _has_ happened," Helena pointed out.

"Of course it has, Helena! This is _me_ we're talking about. Has it been two minutes yet?" she asked.

"It's been five. You're too scared to look, remember?"

Penelope marched into the little bathroom off the kitchen and grabbed the stick out of the Dixie cup. There was no doubt as to what the results were; Helena could've heard Penelope's groan upstairs. She walked out into the kitchen waving the stick in the air. "Who in the hell gets knocked up not once, but _twice _by accident? And by two different men, for God's sake!" she asked dramatically.

"Ummm…I think half of America so stop being so hard on yourself," Helena told her.

"What am I gonna do?" Penelope asked miserably.

"Well, I'd start with telling him."

"Oh, what the hell do you know? You've never gotten pregnant out of wedlock before!"

Helena burst out laughing. "'Out-of-wedlock?' _Hello_, 1800's!" she said sarcastically.

Penelope sighed as her phone rang again. Derek. He'd called her four times since she'd left the house. She probably should have at least written him a note. "I'm glad you think this is funny," she said as she hit the ignore button and put her phone back on the kitchen table. "I'm about to get broken up with, and you're just…laughing your ass off!"

"Broken up with? Oh, sweet Lord in Heaven. Have you _seen _the way that guy looks at you? You _are_ his heaven."

"Cheesy, Helena," Penelope said dryly.

"Haven't you guys discussed marriage?"

"_He _has," Penelope said. "But I can't marry him now! Not like this! I don't want him to feel like I _trapped_ him!" She sighed. "My God, we _were _having a lot of sex. Do you think it was too much sex for one pill to handle? Should I have been taking _two _pills a day?"

"Penny," Helena said softly. "Stop freaking out…and talk to him."

"You're right," Penelope said. "You're right. I'll talk to him."

Helena nodded. "And we'll keep Ava tonight," she offered.

Penelope sighed. "Thank you."

* * *

"Hey," Penelope said as she pulled out of Preston and Helena's driveway a little while later.

"Where in the hell are you?" Derek demanded from the other end of the line. "And why haven't you been answering your cell?"

"I'm in D.C. I…brought Ava up to spend the night with Abby." It wasn't technically a lie, because Ava _was_ spending the night.

"And why haven't you been answering your cell?" he pressed.

"I…Helena and I were talking and she just…" Penelope cleared her throat. Oh, God. She couldn't lie to him. "We needed some girl time."

"OK," he said, satisfied with her explanation. "Well, next time…leave a note. I don't like worrying about you."

"OK. Next time I will leave a note," she promised.

* * *

_I am such a coward, _Penelope thought as she swiped the lip gloss wand over her lips and then rubbed them together. She hadn't told him yet. And she wasn't going to…not until tomorrow night. She wanted one more night, one more _glorious_ night with him before things changed forever.

He'd been happy to comply…in fact he'd been the one who'd suggested it. He invited her to dinner and a movie at his place, but she wasn't allowed to show up until seven o'clock. If she left now, that was exactly what time it would be when she arrived. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and was satisfied with what she saw; her red dress was just cut low enough to give her a peek-a-boo chest, and it stopped a few inches above her knees. She'd straightened her hair and it fell just right over her shoulders, the red headband completing the style. She grabbed her keys from the end table and then headed for Derek's.

* * *

He'd made a delicious chicken parmesan dish for supper and rented an action movie—he knew just what she liked—and she'd fallen asleep on the couch with her head on his lap, still exhausted from lack of sleep last night. "Penelope," he said softly a little while later. Her eye lids fluttered open, and he was looking down at her. When he opened his mouth to speak, she reached up with both hands and pulled his face down to hers. Suddenly she got her second wind. Her back arched up off the couch as his tongue speared into her mouth, hot and hard. His arm shot beneath her back, holding her in place as his tongue assaulted hers. A growl escaped from the back of his throat, the sound so primal her nipples hardened instantaneously. It was as if his body was in perfect sync with hers, he lifted a hand and reached underneath the fabric of her dress and her bra cup, his fingers kneading her breast and teasing her nipple. She groaned and he pulled his lips from hers, moving her body so her head was resting on the arm of the couch.

He pulled the top of her dress down below her chest, then did the same with her bra. Her breasts sprung free, her hardened peaks pointing straight up as if they were begging him to touch them. He lowered his mouth to her breast; his teeth seized the pebbled flesh, tugging it lightly. "Derek," Penelope said breathlessly, thrusting her chest upwards. He turned his head and gave her a lazy grin. "You trying to smother me, Woman?" he teased.

She giggled. "Not until you do the same thing to the other one," she told him as she lifted her hand to guide his head to her other breast. His tongue brushed over her nipple, the sandpaper texture only escalating her arousal. "Derek," she said urgently.

He lifted his head and looked at her. She grinned softly, tilting her head to the side. "Make love to me."

He studied her face for a moment, and after righting the bodice of her dress, he looped one arm beneath her neck and the other under her legs, and then stood. He headed for the stairs, and had made it almost to the first landing when he tripped on the last step, crashing into the wall with her still in his arms. They both started laughing and he lost the hold behind her knees; she stumbled before catching her balance. His lips met hers in what was supposed to be a searing kiss, but they were laughing too hard for it to be anything other than teasing.

Penelope backed away from him and started up the stairs, but his arm shot forward and grabbed her calf. She screeched, as she was forced into a seated position.

"Where do you think _you're_ going?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

With a sexy grin, she stood and pulled her skirt up before shimmying out of her panties and tossing them over the railing. She sat down once again, and grabbed her skirt, dragging it unhurriedly up over her thighs. Derek watched, his eyes following every move of her hands. Eyes locked on his, she lifted her bottom off the step, and pulled her skirt up to her waist, squeezing the crumpled fabric in her hands.

Derek groaned as he grabbed her ankles and yanked hard. She bounced down the steps until she was on the second one up from the landing; she knew there would be rug burns on her ass later, but there was no doubt in her mind that Derek would make it worth it.

Derek had never imagined he'd like these stairs; he'd always thought they were too steep, the steps too thin. But that was before. As he hauled his pants down to his knees, he was thankful for them exactly as they were, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to drive into Penelope so resourcefully. Her head fell back in delight as he filled her, and she braced her hands on the steps beside her legs, lifting her bottom up so she could move her hips in tempo with his; he was pounding into her and she was meeting him thrust for frenzied thrust. The humor that had been there just a moment ago had faded; Derek was like a wild man, his only mission to get her off. His hands gripped the backs of her thighs as he shifted her swiftly up and down his rock-hard length. Penelope lost her grip on the steps as her body clenched around his, and with one last thrust, he burst inside of her. His head fell to her shoulder, his breathing ragged. "My God, Woman," he said between gasps. "I love you so much."

Penelope lifted her arms around his neck and hugged him to her tightly; it was then she realized how much she wanted his baby.


	20. Chapter 20

_Author's Note: Please excuse Ava's little supermodel moment as it was inspired by tonight's __America's Next Top Model_ _finale_. _ANTM is my guilty pleasure. LOL Also, thank you for all of the reviews for last chapter! You guys are the best! - Angie_

Penelope had another sleepless night. But unlike the night before when she'd been filled with anxiety, this night she'd been bubbling with anticipation. She had been planning on waiting until tonight to tell Derek he was going to be a daddy, but she felt like she was going to burst with the news. She was going to tell him as soon as he awoke. She lay there with her cheek on the pillow staring at him, willing him to wake up. She wanted to reach over and shake him awake, but he was sleeping so peacefully that she didn't have the heart.

When his cell phone rang, she nearly jumped out of her skin. But Derek's eyes flew open as he plucked it from the nightstand. "Morgan," he said groggily as he struggled to sit up. "Be right there." He snapped his phone shut and headed for the bathroom.

"You have to go to work?" she asked glumly.

"Yep," he called back in answer. She heard the shower start and sighed.

"Where are you going?" she asked in a raised voice so he could hear her over the running water.

"Don't know yet." He suddenly appeared in the doorway, stripped of the boxers he'd worn to bed. "Join me?"

She shook her head and he walked over and sat down next to her. "Are you sulking?" he asked amused.

She nodded as she threw herself back on the bed.

"Awww...why is my baby girl sulking?" he asked, leaning over her.

She sighed. "Because I'm gonna miss you." She certainly couldn't tell him she was pregnant now. Not when he had to leave.

He lifted a hand to her cheek and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back before you know it."

"And then you'll get rid of this silly apartment and move in with me and Ava?" she asked with a pout.

Derek grinned widely at her. He'd never seen this side of her before…sullen and needy; it was endearing. "Careful, Penelope, or I might start to think that you're warming up to forever," he said huskily.

"Maybe I am," she admitted softly.

He lowered his face until their lips met in a sound kiss. "Penelope Garcia, I don't think I'll ever be as happy as I am right now."

She hoped he was wrong about that_._

_

* * *

Penelope's phone beeped and she picked it up to read the screen. __ETA: Four hours. You ready to start packing, Baby Girl?_

She grinned as she typed back. _It wasn't enough that I invited you to move in? I have to help you pack, too?_

_Nag, nag, nag._

Penelope giggled. _Get used to it._

_Gladly. See you soon. Love you._

_Love you, too._

With that, Penelope hit the appropriate button on her phone and put it down. She couldn't wait to see him again; four days was just too long. "Ava?" she called.

"What, Mommy?" Ava yelled a few seconds later from the top of the stairs.

"Clooney hasn't had his walk today," Penelope reminded her.

She heard Ava's clomping footsteps as they came down over the stairs. "Can we go to the park?" she asked, running awkwardly over to her mother.

Penelope nodded. "Can you get Clooney's leash?" she asked.

"Yep."

"And can you please change your shoes?"

"But, Mommy," Ava said. "I want to wear my princess heels to the park."

"I know you do, Honey," Penelope said. "But Clooney is going to want to run, and you can't run in your princess heels."

"Mommy," Ava said huffily. "How am I supposed to practice my runway walk?"

"Your _what_?" Penelope asked in disbelief. Was this really her four year old?

"Me and Abby have to practice being supermodels," she informed her mother.

"Well, until then, you can practice being _my _four year old," Penelope informed her daughter. "My four year old who wears _sneakers_ to the park."

Ava rolled her eyes before heading for the stairs.

When Penelope stood up to get her own sneakers, she winced as a sharp pain tore through her lower belly. She wrapped her arms protectively against her midsection as tears sprung to her eyes. The cramping got worse at the same time she felt the moist warmth between her thighs. She grabbed her cell phone and headed for the bathroom off the kitchen where she frantically pulled her pants down. She had to force herself to breath when she saw the blood between her legs. She pulled her pants back up and walked upstairs, washed herself up and then dialed her brother's number.

"Hello?"

"Preston…"

"Penny?" The urgency in her voice alarmed him. "Are you OK?"

"I'm…is Helena there?" she asked.

Preston bellowed for his wife, and Helena answered the phone breathlessly.

"Hello?"

"Helena, I'm bleeding," Penelope said. There was no doubt as to what she meant from the tone of her voice.

"OK," Helena said as her medical training kicked in. "How hard are you bleeding?"

"I think…I think I'm done. It was a gush."

"Are you cramping?" she asked calmly.

"Yes," Penelope whimpered.

"Penny, you need to get to the hospital right away," Helena said. "I don't mean to alarm you—"

"I'm already alarmed!" Penelope cried. "And I can't…Ava's here."

"Where's Derek?"

"He's away for work," Penelope answered.

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Helena said.

It should have taken them fifty minutes from where they were in D.C. to get to Penelope; it took them just under half an hour. Preston brought her to the hospital, promising Helena he'd call as soon as knew something.

* * *

Something didn't feel right; Derek couldn't put his finger on it, but he just knew. He accelerated as he started down Penelope's street, and then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Esther in the driveway and the lights blazing in the house. The door wasn't locked, so he walked in and dropped his go-bag by the door. "Hello?" he called.

Ava came running into the living room. "Mommy's in the hospital," she announced without missing a beat.

"Mo…Mommy's what?" he asked as he swept the little girl up in his arms.

"She's in the hospital," Ava repeated.

"What is mommy doing in the hospital?" Derek asked.

Helena walked into the living room, a bowl of ice cream in each hand. "She was…she started bleeding and…"

"Bleeding?" Derek asked. "What do you mean _bleeding_? Where in the hell was she bleeding from?" he asked in confusion.

"Derek," Helena said softly as she put the bowls on the coffee table. "She…she's at the hospital to have an ultrasound. Of her uterus." She emphasized the last word, not wanting to make Ava aware of her mother's condition, especially since she wasn't sure what that condition was.

* * *

"Penelope?" Derek said softly as he walked into the exam room she occupied. It was a far cry from his temperament a moment ago, when he'd been yelling at the people in registration because they wouldn't tell him where she was. It wasn't until he'd flashed his credentials and then told them that this was official F.B.I. business that they'd finally taken him to her.

She smiled softly when she saw him.

He was by her side in an instant, his hand grasping hers. "Are you…is everything OK?" he asked anxiously. He didn't notice Preston in the room, but it didn't matter. He slipped out as soon as Derek reached his sister.

Penelope cleared her throat. "I...did Helena tell you?" she asked quietly.

He nodded. "Yes."

Penelope exhaled slowly. "OK. I'm fine. There was a tear in the placenta, that the sac that—"

"I know what a placenta is," he said quickly.

She nodded. "Well, umm…there was a tear in mine, and that's why I started bleeding. It's a small one, and the doctors think that with some bed rest, it will heal itself."

Derek nodded. "Bed rest. Got it," he said diligently.

"They're waiting for a few more tests to come back before they let me leave and I have to schedule a follow up appointment for next week," she told him. "But I can go home tonight."

"OK," he said seriously. "We'll have to get you a bed set up downstairs and—"

"A bed downstairs? For what?" she asked.

"If you're on bed rest, then you probably shouldn't be walking up the stairs," he informed her.

"Derek—

"Oh, God," he said suddenly panicked. "Do you think…?" Penelope was pretty sure that if his skin had been a lighter color, there would have been a green tinge to it.

"Do I think _what_?" she asked.

"The stairs…I was…I was too _rough_!" he said.

"Newsflash, Morgan," she said softly. "Momma likes it rough."

"Yes, but…was I—"

"Derek," Penelope said softly. He met her gaze and she lifted a hand to his cheek. "You're gonna be a daddy."

"I'm gonna…" He rubbed a hand over his head. "I'm gonna be a daddy?" he said gruffly.

She nodded as her eyes filled with tears.

Knowing it and hearing her say it were two different things. He dropped his forehead to her shoulder and began to sob.


	21. Chapter 21

_Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I had hoped to have this posted before now, but I was out of commission for a few days. Thank you for all of the reviews for last chapter. - Angie_

Derek rubbed his eyes as he walked into his and Penelope's bedroom. He was bone tired. It was three a.m. and he'd just gotten home from the hospital; they'd decided to keep Penelope overnight just to be on the safe side. The night before that, he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep because they'd been working on the case. He yawned as he dropped his go-bag by the door, then walked over to the bed and fully clothed, he fell face first down onto the mattress. He was almost asleep when he heard little footsteps in the hallway. He opened one eye and Ava was standing in the doorway. He rolled over and sat up, forcing his eyes to open. "Hi, Sweet Pea," he said.

Ava walked towards the bed tentatively, a serious expression on her face. "Did they find out where the hell my mommy was bleeding from?" she asked quietly.

Derek was about to scold her when he realized they were the exact words he'd used earlier when he'd asked Helena the same question. So instead, he patted the bed and she jumped up onto the mattress to sit down beside him. "Mommy was bleeding in her belly," he told her. He wasn't about to use words like placenta and uterus, because that would open up a can of worms he wasn't equipped to deal with.

"Is she still bleeding?" Ava asked.

Derek shook his head. "Not anymore."

"When is she coming home?" she persisted.

"She's coming home tomorrow," he told her.

Ava nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer. "Can I sleep with you?" she asked. Before he could answer, her lower lip began to quiver and her eyes filled with tears. The poor little girl was probably scared to death because her mother wasn't here and that she was stuck with him. Helena and Preston were sleeping in the spare room, but she'd wanted to see _him_; it humbled him to know that she'd been waiting for him to come home.

"Of course you can," he answered.

She frowned. "Are you going to put your pajamas on?" she asked. "You shouldn't sleep in your clothes, you know. They'll get wrinkly."

He nodded sleepily and she grinned at him.

"Derek, can we watch The Little Mermaid?" she asked softly.

"Ava, it's three o'clock in the—"

God, this kid already knew how to work him. She batted her eyelashes and stuck her lower lip out, and he found himself nodding again.

"Thank you, Derek," she said as she ran to her room to get her movie.

Derek got up and grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt from a pile of folded clothes in the laundry basket, and then went into the bathroom to change. When he came back out, Ava was walking into the room carrying her purple princess comforter, her movie, and a little tiara. He walked over to her and lifted the comforter off the ground so she'd stop tripping over it, and then followed her to the bed. She climbed up onto the mattress while he put the movie in the DVD player, and when he turned back around, she had her blanket all tucked in around her, sitting straight up with a pillow behind her back. So much for falling asleep as soon as the movie started. He climbed onto bed beside her and she reached over, putting the tiara on his head. She smiled at him as she adjusted it. "You can be King Triton," she informed him before turning her attention to the television.

* * *

"You can't carry me everywhere for the next four weeks," Penelope informed Derek that night as he carted her up the stairs to bed.

He kissed her on the cheek. "Watch me," he said, and then sighed heavily.

"What?" she asked.

"Oh, just…thinking about the sponge bath," he teased.

Penelope hit him playfully in the chest. "I don't think so. I can stand up in the shower, for crying out loud."

Derek chuckled as he walked into their bedroom and placed her gently on the bed. "You'll do anything to get out of helping me move, won't you?" he asked as he lay down beside her.

She didn't answer, just smiled at him.

"When did you find out you were pregnant?" he asked quietly, his eyes suddenly serious.

Penelope cleared her throat uncomfortably. "I found out for sure on Saturday morning," she told him.

"Why didn't you tell me _then_?"

She winced, and Derek instantly regretted asking the question. He wanted to know, but maybe this wasn't the time to ask. "I didn't…we kind of…" She took a deep breath. "Everything's happened so fast with us, Derek."

He wanted to point out that they'd known each other for almost five years, but that was hardly the point since the knowledge they'd had of each other was primarily carnal until a few months ago.

"We've never even discussed having kids," she reminded him. "And…I know you're not Ava's father, I _know_ you're not. But…the last time I told a man I was pregnant…I never saw him again. I just…I wanted to spend another night with you before I told you I was pregnant, but I was going to tell you the next morning," she told him.

"And then I got called in to work," he concluded.

She nodded. "And then you got called in to work. And then all of this happened…"

He rolled over onto his stomach, propped himself up in his elbows, and looked down at her, studying her face. "OK, first of all…about this kid thing…" He grinned at her. "I've always thought four was a good number. Work for you?"

Penelope bit her lip as she nodded. What _really_ worked for her was planning for their future together.

"Good," he said. "But Penelope…" He sighed. "You have to promise me something."

"Anything," she breathed.

"This…me not knowing about kids…it has to stop." He wasn't mad; his tone was teasing, but she knew he meant it.

"I promise," she said solemnly.

"The next time this happens, I don't want you to even _consider_ the possibility that you could be pregnant unless I'm in the room," he told her.

The thought of this happening again, of being pregnant with his child because they'd _planned _it, absolutely thrilled her. "Deal," she said with a laugh. He leaned down to kiss her tenderly, and when she ran her tongue across the seam of his lips, he abruptly pulled away.

"Enough," he said gruffly.

"What's the matter?" she asked amused.

"I was just gone for four days, and _now_ you're on bed rest," he reminded her. "But Darlin'…the last thing I am thinking about right now is _resting_ in this bed. So keep those damn lips away from mine."

Penelope laughed as she reached for his hand. "Want to know a secret?" she asked in a sexy voice.

Derek groaned. "If you're going to keep using _that_ tone of voice, I want you talk dirty to me," he told her.

"When I was pregnant with Ava, I was _crazy_ wanting sex."

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked miserably.

"Because I just want you to be ready when I am," she told him.

"But the doctor said that—"

"The doctor said that most likely, this tear will heal itself, and when it does…" Her voice trailed off.

"_What_?" Derek asked. "What did the doctor say?"

She grinned at him, her eyes twinkling. "He said I'm all yours, Cowboy."

"That's good," Derek said huskily. "That's _real _good."

"Mommy," Ava said running into the room. "Are you still sick?"

Penelope shook her head. "No. I'm not sick," she answered.

Ava jumped up onto the bed and gave Penelope a sheet of paper. "I made you a picture," she said.

Penelope looked at the picture and smiled. "I love it, Honey," she said.

Ava grinned. "That's you," she said pointing to one of the figures in the drawing. "And that's Derek, and that's me," she said, motioning to the other two.

"I love it," Penelope said again. "And I love how you put my hair in pig tails!"

Ava nodded as she reached up to touch her hair. "Like mine, Mommy."

Penelope looked at Derek and smiled, then returned her attention to her daughter. "You know…in a few months, you're gonna have to add another person to your pictures," she said.

Ava frowned. "Clooney?" she asked. "He's right here." She said, her finger going to the brown circle with four stick legs, two eyes and a tail.

Penelope shook her head. "No. A little brother or a little sister," she told her daughter. "Mommy's going to have a baby."

"You're having a _baby_?" Ava said excitedly.

"I'm having a baby," Penelope confirmed.

Ava's eyes fell to her mother's belly. "Can I _feel_ the baby?" she asked.

"Not yet," Penelope said. "But in a few months you'll be able to."

"Mommy?" Ava asked softly.

"Yes, Baby?"

"Is the new baby gonna get to call Derek daddy?" she asked.

Penelope nodded.

"Can _I_ call him daddy?" she asked timidly.

Derek had remained silent wanting to give Penelope the chance answer Ava's questions, but _he_ wanted to field this one. He pulled the little girl into a fierce hug. "I would _love_ it if you called me daddy," he said, his voice thick with emotion.


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's Note: Well, this is it for this one! Only five more to go before I finish up my 'in progress' list. And I'll be posting this on every one of them...my apologies for taking so long to finish. Thank you so much for sticking around until the end. I'm glad that you liked it enough to keep reading despite my erratic updating. =(_

_I'm going to try really hard not to post any more new ones until these ones are done. With any luck, I'll be able to finish an entire story before I even begin posting it. Cross your fingers! _

_Anyway...I have something I'm working on now, and after Christmas, I'll be working on finishing Upping the Ante. I need to read it over to get the 'flow' of the story back!_

_Thanks, again, and I hope you enjoy! - Angie_

**Six weeks ago…**

"Derek," Penelope said breathlessly, trying to push him away. The man wouldn't budge. "Derek, Derek, Derek," she said again.

"What?" he asked, pulling his lips from her shoulder just long enough to ask the question.

"What if we…what if we…waited?" she asked cautiously.

He froze, his lips still on her shoulder. It was a minute before he straightened. "What?" he asked in confusion.

"To have sex," she clarified.

He frowned. "_Why?_"

"It's just…it's been months. And…do you _feel_ the anticipation?"

Derek winced in pain—he felt the anticipation all right. He was so fuckin' hard it hurt. She'd just been taken off bed rest and the doctor had told her she could resume 'intimate activities.' "Penelope, if you're saying what I think you're saying…"

She sat up, forcing him to move off of her. He fell back against the mattress. "Derek, we're getting married in six weeks," she reminded him as she pulled her shirt back up over her shoulders. There went his handiwork. "Six weeks. We've already made it way past six weeks! Why not wait?"

Derek groaned. "Because I'm throbbing for you _now_," he said through gritted teeth.

She lifted an eyebrow at him. "I'll take care of that throbbing for you," she said in a low voice.

Derek moaned. "I want to be inside of you," he said.

She tilted her head to the side, and smiled softly at him.

He sighed. "Fine. We'll wait." God, he was surrounded by females who knew exactly how to get what they wanted from him.

Penelope tongue darted out of her mouth to lick her lower lip. "In the meantime…"

Derek closed his eyes as she unzipped his jeans.

* * *

The doctors had said it would be OK for her to fly, so they'd decided to get married in Chicago. It was a small wedding at Derek's mother's house with only his family in attendance.

Penelope and Derek had wanted to wait until her body had healed itself to tell anyone else they were expecting, and they'd been able to do a little 'creative parenting' in order to keep Ava quiet. As soon as the minister pronounced them man and wife, Ava tugged on Derek's pant leg and he leaned down. "Daddy, can I tell her now?" she asked in a soft voice.

Derek kissed her on the tip of her nose and nodded, a grin spreading across his face. Ava ran over to his mother and Fran picked her up. The little girl leaned forward and whispered something in her grandmother's ear.

Fran nodded knowingly. "Yes, I suspect they'll have _lots_ of babies. When do you think you first brother or sister will be born?"

Derek cleared his throat. "In about three months," he answered.

"Three mon…" His mother's eyes widened and she gasped. "Another grandbaby?" she asked.

Derek grinned as Penelope nodded, and that was when the screeching began. Derek's family started crowding around her and he slapped them away. "Hey, hey, hey!" he said reprimanding them. "My bride just got off bed rest!"

"You were on bed rest?" Fran asked panicked. She reached up and slapped Derek on the side of the head. "Why didn't you tell me she was on bed rest?"

Derek's eyes widened. "That's the first time you've ever hit me!" he exclaimed.

"It's OK," Ava said reassuringly. "Daddy kept her company and painted her toe nails! He even made her breakfast in bed!"

Desiree grinned. "Derek Morgan painting toe nails," she remarked, the amusement evident in her voice.

Penelope giggled. "In his defense, he would only use black and brown because apparently they're 'masculine' colors."

Fran looked at Ava. "You're going to be a big sister," she said.

Ava nodded enthusiastically. "But I don't have to share my room, right Mommy?"

"Right," Penelope agreed.

* * *

"It warms my heart to hear her call you Daddy," Fran said a little while later. They were standing in the living room, away from everyone else and Fran's eyes were glued to Ava, who was sitting on the couch holding her nephew. Desiree's baby was three month's old now, and Ava had thrown herself wholeheartedly into the role of mother hen, running to his side every time he fussed.

"Yeah, well, it still warms mine whenever she says it," he told her. "When does it go away, Momma?"

"What?" she asked.

Derek chuckled. "How long before I'm immune to those batting eyelashes and pouting?"

Fran grinned as she patted her son on the cheek. "Oh, Honey," she said with a laugh. "It's cute that you think you ever will be."

* * *

The damn elevator wasn't moving quickly enough. They'd left Ava with his mother, and he and Penelope had rented a hotel room for the night. He planned on doing things to her that would result in a lot of noise making; he didn't think his mother's house was appropriate for that. He grinned at the thought. Not while anyone was home, anyway. His old bed was there, and he couldn't help but think of how much fun it would be to 'score' with his wife in his old room.

Penelope looked at her husband, but he was staring straight ahead. She was chewing on the inside of her cheek, her eagerness driving her crazy. She couldn't stand it anymore. She hurled herself at him, catching him by surprise. He caught her clumsily, his lips capturing hers as his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her flush against him. Their tongues met frantically, as if they hadn't been able to even kiss for the last few months. Her hands dug into the fabric at his waist, rumpling the maroon dress shirt he'd married her in. The bell chimed to indicate they'd reached their floor, and by the time Derek got her off of him, the doors had already opened. Like the night they'd first met, they'd gone at it in the elevator. But unlike that night, there was someone standing there when the doors slid open.

Derek grinned sheepishly as they walked off the elevator. "Newlyweds," he explained.

When they reached the door to their room, Penelope slid the keycard into the lock and pushed the door open. "Look at that," she said, taking in the lavender colored rose petals that were sprinkled on the bed.

"Yeah, aren't those nice?" he asked distractedly, grabbing her elbow as she started to walk towards the bed. "Not so fast, Darlin'," he said, pulling her back towards him. He swept her up into his arms and she giggled.

"Derek," she said as she nibbled on his earlobe.

"Yeah, Baby Girl?"

"Aren't you glad we waited?" she asked.

"No," he answered without missing a beat.

"You…you're not?" she asked.

"Penelope, I've been walking around with a hard on for months, and _you_ closed the gates. I am _not_ glad we waited," he said firmly.

"Oh," she said in a small voice.

His lips began to twitch and he leaned down to give her a quick kiss. "But ask me again when I'm inside of you like it's the first time all over again."

* * *

"Derek," Penelope said breathlessly. One thing she knew for sure: Payback was a bitch.

"Hmmm?"

"You have to let me…"

Derek lifted his head from between her thighs. "I don't have to let you _anything_," he argued. He returned to her core, circling it with his tongue before surrounding it with his lips and sucking softly. _Again_. Her hips bucked up off the mattress and he pulled away. _Again_. "Do you know what this is?" he asked.

"Torture!" she answered.

He chuckled. "That's right. This is what _I've_ felt like since the last time we were together," he informed her. "Always on the verge, but never quite getting there."

"I'm _sorry_!" she said breathlessly.

"Not yet," Derek said. "But you will be." He went back to work, and just as her thighs began to tremble, he pulled away.

"Derek…" she begged.

He moved so that his body was covering hers. "Yeah, Baby Girl?" he asked.

"I don't think I can take it anymore," she admitted.

"You can," he told her, as he situated himself between her thighs. He stroked her core with the tip of his length, and her body rippled in anticipation.

"Derek," she shrieked.

His lips lifted in a wicked grin. "Had enough?" he taunted.

"The problem is that I haven't had _any_thing," she informed him.

His lips claimed hers in a heated kiss as he filled her with a single thrust. She groaned as he started moving in and out of her, lifting her lower body frantically to meet his. His hands clamped onto her hips, and he held her still against the mattress, slamming into her with a grunt. "Derek," she whimpered, lifting her hands to clutch his shoulders. She felt his body shudder and cried out as she found her own climax.

His body sagged down onto hers and he sighed in contentment, then rolled off her and onto his side. He slid a leg between her thighs as he pulled her close, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. "OK," he said, his breathing ragged. "I'm willing to concede that it was worth the wait."

Penelope grinned. "I'm glad you think so," she said, wiggling her body closer to his.

They lay there in silence for a few minutes before his hand fell to her belly. He'd always loved her body, but now that she was pregnant, her curves were even lusher. When she was dressed, you couldn't yet tell she was pregnant, but when she was naked, he could see exactly what his body had done to hers…and he loved it. "How's baby?" he asked softly.

"Content," she answered quickly.

"Still don't want to find out what it is?" he asked.

She shook her head firmly. "I want it to be a surprise. You?"

"You're the boss," he answered.

"I'm _so _glad you said that," she told him as she moved up onto her knees.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

She pushed him onto his back and was pleased to find he was already hard again. "Showing you how much I love you," she said huskily as she lowered herself down onto him.

He gripped her hips, his hands bringing her to a halt as his eyes filled with concern. He didn't want to hurt her or the baby. "Is this too much?" he asked worriedly.

She laughed. "Derek…it's never enough."

He grinned up at her, loosening his grip on her as she slid down his length. "I love you, too," he said, his eyes dancing with amusement despite the sincerity in his tone. "And with any luck, I'll be able to last this time."

He'd never go that long without his wife again.

*****THE END*****


End file.
